They also have three distinct ridges on the top of their thorax (area behind the head and in front of the abdomen). They are one of the easier stored product pests to spot due to the saw-like features behind their head. They are very flat and can easily find their way into cracks and crevices. They are found globally.Īdults are approximately 1/10” long. They are one of the most important pests in the home as well as in grocery stores. Sawtoothed grain beetles, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, get their name from the row of large “teeth” located on the sides of their thorax near the head. The specific grain of preference may differ among species. Note that there are other species within this genus that can be managed in much the same way as other stored product pests, and their biology and other habits will resemble the two species below. These beetles are difficult to distinguish from one another and have similar habits each species will be described in more detail below. The two most commonly encountered grain beetles are the sawtoothed grain beetle and the merchant grain beetle. They are usually dark red or dark brown in color. Generally speaking, grain beetles (Genus Oryzaephilus) infest grains, as the name suggests. There are other types of stored product pests too, like scavengers and secondary pests (for example, those that feed on molds present on foods and grains), but for brevity they are not described in this article. External feeders feed from the outside of a grain kernel and move inward.Internal feeders damage the inside of a grain kernel and typically require an entire kernel for development.All of these pests have complete metamorphosis, which includes eggs (inactive), larvae (feed, cause damage), pupae (inactive), and adults (reproduce and sometimes feed, typically observed moving around or flying). The damage caused during feeding is induced largely by the larval (juvenile, immature, etc.) life stage of each pest in question adults are mostly responsible for breeding. Knowing how pests consume foods can assist in identification as damage is assessed. However, experts do separate stored product pests into groups based on the way that they feed.
Stored product pests are diverse in their biology and habits, so we will discuss the biology of each specific pest in the sections below. The result? Damaged and inedible food, often associated with nuisance-level numbers of the pest in the home. Stored product pests are problematic because they can breed continuously and produce multiple generations annually, even in less than ideal environmental conditions, as long as a suitable food source is available. In fact, many individuals struggling with a pantry pest problem are affected because they received a food product that was infested prior to purchase ( Figure 2). Private residences are not the only places susceptible to pantry pest issues-commercial kitchens, food handling facilities, and grocery stores are also common areas where infestations begin. For instance, some pantry pests will infest seeds stored by animals and even the carcasses of dead animals (like mice or birds) that may be located in the attic, wall voids, and other areas away from the kitchen. However, they can theoretically be found in any area of the home as long as there is a food source available. Pantry pests are most often found in, near, or around the kitchen. When a moth or beetle is repeatedly spotted in the home on a cyclical or repeating time frame, that is a good indication of a stored product infestation. Most people will encounter a stored product pest at one time or another-they are periodically found in nearly every home ( Figure 1).
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