Red Flour Beetle

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in pantries, food processing plants, warehouses, and grocery stores. They prefer dark, warm, and humid environments. Infest stored dry food products.

Diet & Feeding

Mainly feed on processed grain products such as flour, cereal, pasta, and pet food. They can also infest nuts, dried fruit, spices, and chocolate. They cannot feed on whole, undamaged grains.

Behavior Patterns

Flour beetles are known for infesting grain and flour products. They are nocturnal and gregarious. Females lay sticky eggs directly in food sources. The larvae and adults feed on damaged grains, flour, and other stored products. They do not sting or bite.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Major pest of stored food products, causing significant economic losses by contaminating food with their bodies, feces, and secretions (which can impart a reddish tint and foul odor). They can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Benefits: No known direct benefits to humans or the ecosystem.

Identified on: 8/30/2025