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Five major stored product pests
Flour Beetles (Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum)
Further information: Flour beetle
Red Flour Beetle
There are two different types of beetles classified as flour beetles: the red flour beetle and the confused flour beetle. Both are similar in physical characteristics. They are flat and oval in shape and usually range around 1/8- inch long. Their exoskeleton is reddish brown with a shiny and smooth texture. The eggs, larvae, and pupa resemble each other closely in physical features as well. The eggs usually tend to be a white color, or at times even colorless. They are very small in size and have a sticky outer covering that causes certain food particles to stick to it. The larvae have six legs, with two pointy projections toward the caudal end. Finally, the pupal stage (a cocoon-like form used to break itself down and emerge as a mature adult) is usually a white or brownish color. The beetle life cycle lasts approximately 3 years or more, with the larval stage ranging anywhere from 20 to over 100 days, and the pupal stage around 8 days. Beetles usually breed in damaged grain, grain dust, high-moisture wheat kernels and flour. The female flour beetle can lay between 300 and 400 eggs during her lifetime [a period of 5 to 8 months]. The flour beetles mainly infest grains, including, but not limited to: cereal, corn meal oats, rice, flour, and crackers. This type of beetle is the most abundant insect pest of flour mills across the United States. Their small size allows them to maneuver through cracks and crevices and get into the home and other areas. Once they are present in areas with potential food sources, they can infest material such as flour, resulting in a sharp odor or moldy flavor. The red flour beetle is able to fly short distances and the confused flour beetle is unable to fly. While the confused flour beetle is more commonly found in the northern United States, the red flour beetles are more predominant in the southern United States in areas with warmer climates.
Tribolium castaneum
The red flour beetle is considered the best organism to study genetics. A team composed of Susan Brown and Rob Denell, both biology professors at the University of Kansas, along with Richard Beeman, won financial support to have the beetle?s genome sequenced, marking it as one of the earliest sequenced insect genomes, as well as distinguishing the red flour beetle as the only pest insect to be analyzed in this way thus far. The project was funded partially by the US Department of Agriculture, as well as by the National Institutes of Health, and the genome sequencing was led by Stephen Richards at the Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine. The red flour beetle?s gene map information and genomic sequence are accessible from the National Center for Biotechnical Information. More information is to be published in Nature on 2008-03-27.
Drugstore Beetle (Stegobium paniceum)
Further information: Drugstore beetle
Drugstore Beetle
The biscuit beetle is closely related to the commonly known cigarette beetle. Adult drugstore beetles are shaped cylindrically with dimensions ranging from 2.25 to 3.5 mm. Their exoskeleton consists of a reddish brown coloring. These beetles are also characterized by elytra, sclerotized (hardened) wings that fold back over the abdomen and hinge upwards, allowing the hind wings to come out in order to fly. The presence of this striated appearance helps distinguish the drugstore beetle from a similar species, the cigarette beetle. Females are capable of laying up to 75 eggs during a life time. After the eggs are laid they move into a larval period that can range anywhere from 4 to 20 weeks. After the larval period, drugstore beetle larvae move out of the substrate to build a cocoon and pupate. The pupation process takes a total of 12-18 days. The entire life cycle of the drugstore beetle lasts approximately 2 months but can be as long as 7 months. Adult female beetles have a lifespan of about 13 to 65 days. These stored product pests will infest almost anything readily available. Food products prone to infestation include: flours, dry mixes, breads, cookies and other spices. Non-food material includes: wool, hair, leather and museum specimens. This specific type of beetle is able to produce symbiotic yeasts that produce B vitamins, which allow the beetle to survive on the consumption of poor nutritional foods. They are found in areas that have a warmer climate, yet are less plentiful among the tropics as their counterpart, the Cigarette beetle.
Sawtoothed Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis)
Further information: Sawtoothed grain beetle
Saw-toothed Grain Beetle
The sawtoothed grain beetle is closely related to the merchant grain beetle, and is commonly found in kitchen cabinets feeding on items such as cereal, breakfast foods, dried fruits, macaroni, crackers, etc. They are the most common grain and stored product pest. They are very active and tend to crawl rapidly while searching for food. They are small insects, reaching roughly around 1/8 of an inch. Their name originates from their distinguishable saw-tooth-like projections found on each side of the thorax. The body shape of the beetle is flat, slender, and brown in color. The size and shape of the mandibles allow the beetles to easily break through well sealed and packaged foods. An adult female sawtoothed grain beetle can lay anywhere between 45 to 250 eggs, that usually hatch within 3 to 17 days. The larvae look much different from the mature adult. They have a caterpillar-like appearance, with a yellowish coloration to the body and a brown head. The larval period can last as long as 10 weeks but can be as short as 2 weeks. Following the larval instars is the pupal period, which can last one to three weeks. The pupal stage is characterized by the unique process by which these beetles stick together pieces of food material to form a protective covering around their bodies. A fully mature adult beetle, under optimal conditions, can live a maximum of 4 years, a considerably long arthropod lifespan.
Indianmeal Moth (Plodia interpunctella)
Further information: Indianmeal moth
Indianmeal Moth
Indianmeal moths can infest a variety of foods found in the pantry. Coarsely ground grains, cereals, dried fruits, and herbs are common items the moths have been known to infest. They have also been found in animal food such adried dog food, dried fish food, and even bird seed. The adult moth is small; generally, their size averages about 3/8 inch, with a 5/8 inch wing span. As adults, the moths are easily identified by an overall grayish, dirty complexion. However, the wing tips have a bronze color that helps differentiate this particular moth from other household moths. The adults have a distinct forewing pattern as well. The pattern consists of a light-colored base with about two-thirds of the distal area a red to copper color. The larval stage, or caterpillar, is characterized by a pinkish or yellowish-green body color with a dark brown head. The larval stage of the moth life cycle is centered on food sources; during the last instar, these larvae are characterized by a movement towards a protected area to pupate. These caterpillars have the capacity to chew through plastic packaging and will often produce silk that loosely binds to food fragments. The pupal stage is generally observed as tiny cocoons that hang from the ceiling; these cocoons can also be found on walls, as well as near the food source. A female can lie over 200 eggs, and will usually die after this process because adults Indian meal moths do not eat.
Fruit Flies (Drosophila melanogaster)
Further information: Fruit fly
Fruit Fly
Fruit flies are found near ripened or fermenting fruit. Tomatoes, melons, squash, grapes and other perishable items brought in from the garden are a common cause of an indoor infestation. Fruit flies can also be attracted to rotting bananas, potatoes, onions and other unrefrigerated produce purchased at the grocery store and taken home. The body of the fruit fly is tan towards the front part of the body and black towards the rear. They usually have red eyes and are about 1/8 inch long. Females have the ability to lay over 500 eggs, usually in fermenting fruit as a food source. The only environment necessary for successful reproduction is a moist film and fermenting material. Generally, fruit flies are a problem during late summer and fall due to their attraction to ripening and fermenting fruits and vegetables. The entire life cycle can be completed in about a week. Unfortunately, because of their ability to fly in and out of the home through windows and screens, they have the capability of contaminating food with bacteria and disease-producing organisms.
Detection of an infestation
Careful observation is necessary when detecting the culprit of an insect infestation. Each of the five different insects discussed has a unique pattern of destruction. These observations are imperative, as there are not always larvae, pupa, or adults readily available for examination and identification. In the absence of physical specimens, conclusions can be drawn about the probable insect that is infesting the product just by noting the damage done to the particular food. By noting the type of food and the damage done, a nearly accurate conclusion can be drawn about the type of insect causing the damage, allowing a conjecture about the type of control needed. Having an insect specimen and accurately identifying it can lead to eradication, and ultimately, prevention.
Foods commonly infested include:
Whole or cracked grains (rice)
Flour, meal, or similar ground grain products
Spices
Cereals
Pasta
Candy
Powdered milk
Nuts (whole or

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