Drugstore Beetle / Cigarette Beetle

Commonly found in pantries, kitchens, and warehouses where stored dried food products are kept.

Feeds on a wide variety of dried plant products including flour, cereal, dry pet food, spices, and tobacco; also known to eat non-food items like leather and book bindings.

Adults are active flyers and are attracted to light. They lay eggs in or near food sources, and the larval stage does the majority of the damage by tunneling through stored goods.

Risk: Major economic pest that contaminates food supplies and can damage household items like books. Benefits: None to humans; plays a role in breaking down organic material in the natural ecosystem.