Bug Identifier
Drugstore beetle
Community identification

Drugstore beetle

Stegobium paniceum

Order & Family
Coleoptera, Ptinidae
Size
2 to 3.5 millimeters in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found indoors in pantries, kitchens, and areas where dry stored products are kept.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on a wide range of dry plant- and animal-based products, including grains, spices, flour, and pet food.

Behavior Patterns

Active flyers that are strongly attracted to light. Females lay eggs directly on food sources where larvae bore inward to feed.

Risks & Benefits

Causes significant economic damage and contamination to stored pantry goods, books, and pharmaceuticals, but poses no direct medical threat to humans.