Lesser Grain Borer

Natural Habitat

Grain storage facilities, flour mills, warehouses, and household pantries worldwide.

Diet & Feeding

Strictly granivorous; both adults and larvae feed on a wide variety of dried grains including wheat, rice, corn, and barley, as well as seeds and cereal products.

Behavior Patterns

They are active fliers and have a distinctive cylindrical shape with a hood-like prothorax that hides the head. The life cycle varies by temperature; eggs are laid on grain kernels, and larvae bore into the kernels to feed internally.

Risks & Benefits

Significant economic pests. They cause internal damage to stored grains, reducing weight and nutritional value, and decreasing germination rates of seeds. They are not harmful to humans directly but can lead to food spoilage.

Identified on: 3/12/2026