
Community identification
Merchant Grain Beetle / Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
Oryzaephilus mercator / Oryzaephilus surinamensis
- Order & Family
- Order: Coleoptera; Family: Silvanidae
- Size
- 2.5 mm to 3 mm (approx. 1/8 inch) in length
Natural Habitat
Pantries, kitchen cupboards, and commercial food storage areas; often found in grains, cereals, and dried fruits.
Diet & Feeding
Processed grain products like oats, rice, flour, cereal, nuts, seeds, and dried pet food; they do not eat whole, undamaged kernels.
Behavior Patterns
They have flattened bodies allowing them to crawl into tight crevices of food packaging. They are active crawlers and very prolific, completing a life cycle in 27 to 50 days.
Risks & Benefits
They do not bite, sting, or damage structures, but they are major household pests that contaminate stored food with larvae, fecal matter, and shed skins, leading to food waste.