
Community identification
Grain weevil (likely rice weevil)
Sitophilus oryzae
- Order & Family
- Coleoptera; Curculionidae
- Size
- About 2–3 mm long.
Natural Habitat
Stored grains and dry foods, including rice, wheat, and cereal products; the pictured specimen is on carpet, where it may have wandered from an infested food source.
Diet & Feeding
Adults and larvae feed on whole grain kernels; larvae develop inside individual grains.
Behavior Patterns
A small, dark beetle with a long snout; females lay eggs in grain kernels, and the concealed larvae pupate there. Adults may crawl or fly and disperse from infested food.
Risks & Benefits
A pantry pest that damages and contaminates stored grain and dry foods; it poses no significant direct health risk to people.