Bug Identifier
Drugstore Beetle
Community identification

Drugstore Beetle

Stegobium paniceum

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera, Family: Ptinidae
Size
2.25 to 3.5 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Pantropical and temperate regions, frequently found in domestic kitchens, pantries, and pharmacies

Diet & Feeding

Highly varied; feeds on dried plant products like bread, cereal, spices, as well as pharmaceutical drugs, leather, and hair

Behavior Patterns

Adults are capable of flight and are attracted to light; they typically live for several weeks and can produce multiple generations per year indoors

Risks & Benefits

Pests of stored food and archival materials; known to contaminate pantry items and can bore through packaging, though they do not bite or transmit diseases to humans