
Community identification
Merchant Grain Beetle
Oryzaephilus mercator
- Order & Family
- Coleoptera; Silvanidae
- Size
- 2.5 mm to 3 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide in pantries, kitchens, and warehouses where store-bought foods are kept.
Diet & Feeding
Stored food products including cereals, grains, pasta, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. They do not eat the whole grain but thrive on processed foods.
Behavior Patterns
They have a flat body allowing them to crawl into small crevices in food packaging. Unlike the similar Saw-toothed grain beetle, they are capable of flight and are often attracted to light.
Risks & Benefits
They do not bite or sting humans and do not spread disease, but they are a significant nuisance pest that causes economic loss by contaminating food with waste and larvae.