Bug Identifier
Rice Weevil
Community identification

Rice Weevil

Sitophilus oryzae

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Curculionidae
Size
2 to 3.5 millimeters (approximately 1/8 inch) in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found globally in pantries, kitchens, and grain storage facilities where it inhabits stored whole grains like rice, wheat, and corn.

Diet & Feeding

Stored whole seeds and grains; larvae develop inside individual kernels while adults feed from the outside.

Behavior Patterns

Adults can fly and are attracted to light. Females chew a hole in a grain kernel, lay a single egg inside, and seal it with a secretion. The entire life cycle takes about 30 days in warm conditions.

Risks & Benefits

They are major stored-product pests that cause significant economic loss and spoilage of food supplies. They pose no direct health risk to humans (non-toxic), but infested food is generally considered unfit for consumption.