After this a day was arranged for us to return and treat the loft with a long acting insecticide. Obviously the first course of action would be to remove all the mouse bait which had been the source of the problem. We looked carefully around the bait trays and it was clear that beetle larva had been at work on the grain mouse bait, small holes in the plastic trays and the grain in places eaten to a dust like substance, told our pest control experts at wild things pest solutions, everything we needed to know. On inspection of the loft we discovered the owner had been leaving large amounts of mouse bait in trays on the loft floor.
BISCUIT BEETLE LIFE CYCLE WINDOWS
A drugstore beetle infestation can contaminate food.A recent pest control job in the Essex area found us treating a loft, and the seals around the upstairs windows for this fairly common pest.
There is an array of food drugstore beetles like to eat including dried food products like flour, spices, cereal and pet food, medicine, leather, books, and hair. Since these pests lay their eggs in packaged food items, you may accidentally purchase an infested product and bring the problem home with you. Drugstore Beetles in the House & the Gardenĭrugstore beetles are major pests of bakeries, flour mills, and other food storage facilities. The cigarette beetle has serrated antennae and smooth wings. While the two can be easily confused, the drugstore beetle can be identified by its smooth antennae and the appearance of lines on its wings. Their wings are covered in rows of hair, similar to the cigarette beetle. These beetles are shaped like cylinders and range from 2.25 to 3.5 millimeters in length with brown or reddish-brown bodies.
Types of Drugstore Beetles Drugstore Beetle Identification This allows the drugstore beetle to thrive and reproduce easily, and also survive on food sources that lack nutrition. It also enjoys feasting on non-food products such as wool, hair, leather, and even metals.ĭrugstore beetles produce yeasts that produce B vitamins that are deposited as they feed, and are later consumed by larvae. When it’s not over the counter, it’s browsing the aisles looking for flour, dry mixes, bread, cookies, and other sweet foods. The drugstore beetle gets its name from its love of feeding on prescription drugs. This pest will eat almost anything, and actually has a drug problem. Ideal conditions for the drugstore beetle are temperatures around 85 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity. Their lifespan depends on the temperature and available food. They will then pupate for 12 to 18 days, emerging into adults that will live anywhere from 13 to 65 days. During this period, they will tunnel through the substance they were born in and feed. They will remain in this stage for around 20 weeks. Larvae of the drugstore beetle start out as small, white grubs with short hairs and a straight line across their heads just above their mouths.įemales will lay up to 75 eggs wherever they decide to drop them, which is most likely in a food source like grain.
Drugstore Beetle Lifecycle & Infestations The pest is the last thing you want to share your food with. Drugstore Beetle Bitesĭrugstore beetles do not bite, but they will chow down on your bread, flour, cereal, spices, and pet food.
These beetles are named after their tendency to attack the medicinal herbs used in apothecaries and early drugstores. They are not found as often in tropical locations like the cigarette beetle. They are found all over the world (they are known as the biscuit beetle in the United Kingdom), but are most prevalent in warmer regions with temperate climates. They are often found in grains, packaged foods, and other plant and animal products. Like flour beetles, drugstore beetles are often found in places where food is stored and will contaminate these areas when they become infested.
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