Bug Identifier
Merchant grain beetle
Community identification

Merchant grain beetle

Oryzaephilus mercator

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Silvanidae
Size
2.5 to 3.5 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in pantries or kitchens, infesting stored food items like cereals, nuts, and dried fruit.

Diet & Feeding

Mainly feeds on oil-rich seeds, nuts, and processed cereals but also preys on the eggs of other stored product pests.

Behavior Patterns

Unlike the similar saw-toothed grain beetle, merchant grain beetles are capable of flight. They have serrated, saw-like edges on their thorax.

Risks & Benefits

They are a significant pest of stored food products, leading to contamination and spoilage of grains and nuts, causing economic loss. They do not bite or sting humans.