Drugstore Beetle (often mistaken for Cigarette Beetle)

Found indoors worldwide, typically in pantries, kitchens, or pharmacies. They infest stored dried plant products, including spices, grains, seeds, hair, leather, and prescription drugs.

Stored products such as flour, cereal, dry pet food, spices (especially red pepper), old books, leather, wool, and prescription drugs.

They are strong flyers and attracted to light. The larvae bore into food packaging, creating tunnels and damaging stored goods. They are known for their 'humpbacked' appearance when viewed from the side, hiding their head under the pronotum.

Risks: Major pest of stored food products and pharmaceutical goods; they contaminate food and can chew through packaging like foil and plastic. Benefits: None in a domestic setting; they are primarily nuisance pests causing economic loss.