Bug Identifier
Drugstore Beetle
Community identification

Drugstore Beetle

Stegobium paniceum

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

Natural Habitat

Found worldwide in human structures particularly kitchens, pantries, and storage warehouses.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous scavengers that feed on dried plant products like bread, flour, spices, and even pharmaceutical drugs or leather.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are capable of flight and are attracted to light; larvae are grub-like and burrow through food sources creating tunnels.

Risks & Benefits

Significant economic pest causing food spoilage and damage to historical artifacts; poses no direct health risk to humans but contaminates food supplies.