
Community identification
Drugstore Beetle (or Stegobium paniceum)
Stegobium paniceum
- Order & Family
- Order: Coleoptera; Family: Ptinidae
- Size
- 2.25 mm to 3.5 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide, primarily in domestic settings, pantries, warehouses, and bakeries.
Diet & Feeding
Generalist feeders that consume various dried plant products, including flour, cereal, nuts, spices, dried fruits, and even prescription drugs.
Behavior Patterns
Adults are capable of flying and are attracted to light; the larvae are the primary feeders, burrowing into food sources and creating silky tunnels.
Risks & Benefits
Considered a significant pest of stored products; they can contaminate and spoil food supplies, but they do not bite humans or transmit diseases.