Merchant Grain Beetle

Natural Habitat

Found worldwide, primarily in pantries, kitchens, warehouses, and grocery stores where dried food products are stored.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on a variety of dried food products including cereals, flour, pasta, nuts, dried fruits, seeds, and spices.

Behavior Patterns

They are highly mobile, being able to fly and crawl quickly to find food sources. They can squeeze through extremely small cracks and gaps in food packaging. They have a complete life cycle including egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Risks & Benefits

They are a significant indoor pest that contaminates food with their waste and shed skins, necessitating the disposal of infested products. They do not bite, sting, or carry diseases that affect humans directly.

Identified on: 2/14/2026