Red Flour Beetle or Confused Flour Beetle
Scientific Name: Tribolium castaneum (Red Flour Beetle) or Tribolium confusum (Confused Flour Beetle) - differentiation requires microscopic examination.
Order & Family: Order: Coleoptera, Family: Tenebrionidae
Size: Typically 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 inches) in length.
Natural Habitat
Commonly found in pantries, food storage areas, and processing plants globally. They thrive in warm, humid conditions and infest cracks and crevices where food particles accumulate.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily feed on stored dry food products such as flour, cereal, pasta, pet food, nuts, dried fruit, spices, and even chocolate. They cannot feed on whole grains that are undamaged.
Behavior Patterns
Flour beetles are highly active and can move quickly. They are attracted to light but typically prefer dark, undisturbed areas within their food sources. Adults are long-lived (up to 2 years) and females can lay hundreds of eggs over their lifespan, contributing to rapid population growth under favorable conditions. They are known for 'playing dead' when disturbed.
Risks & Benefits
Potential risks include contamination of food products, causing financial losses, and potentially causing allergic reactions in sensitive individuals due to their presence and excretions. They do not pose direct health risks by biting or stinging. There are no known direct benefits to humans, but as decomposers, they play a minor role in breaking down organic matter in broader ecosystems.
Identified on: 8/14/2025