Drugstore Beetle

Natural Habitat

Worldwide distribution, commonly found in pantries, kitchens, and food storage facilities where dried plant products are kept.

Diet & Feeding

A wide variety of dried plant products including flour, bread, spices (ginger, turmeric), seeds, tea, coffee beans, and even non-food items like leather, books, and dried museum specimens.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are active flyers and are attracted to light. They lay their eggs on a food source, and the larvae burrow into the material to feed. The entire life cycle takes about 2 to 7 months depending on temperature and food quality.

Risks & Benefits

They are a significant pantry pest that can contaminate and ruin stored food. While they do not bite humans or pets and do not spread disease, they are destructive to property and can damage valuable paper-based archives and library collections.

Identified on: 3/14/2026