Drugstore Beetle

Natural Habitat

Found worldwide, typically indoors in pantries, warehouses, libraries, and pharmacies (hence the name). They infest a huge variety of dried plant products.

Diet & Feeding

Polyphagous feeders that eat dried food products (flour, bread, chocolate, spices), prescription drugs, leather, wool, hair, and museum specimens. They are even known to eat strychnine.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are active fliers attracted to light. The larvae tunnel through the food source, leaving behind a characteristic 'shot hole' exit when they emerge as adults. They have a symbiotic relationship with yeast in their gut that helps them digest otherwise low-nutrient foods.

Risks & Benefits

Risks: Significant pest of stored foods and museum collections; can spoil large quantities of pantry goods. Benefits: Ecologically acts as a decomposer, though this is rarely considered a benefit in human dwellings.

Identified on: 3/9/2026