Bug Identifier
Drugstore beetle
Community identification

Drugstore beetle

Stegobium paniceum

Order & Family
Order Coleoptera, Family Ptinidae
Size
2 to 3.5 millimeters long.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found indoors worldwide, particularly in pantries, kitchens, and anywhere dry organic goods are stored.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on a wide variety of dry plant and animal products, including grains, flour, spices, pet food, and even pharmaceuticals.

Behavior Patterns

Adults are strong fliers and are attracted to light, while females lay eggs directly on food sources where larvae tunnel and feed.

Risks & Benefits

They pose no direct health hazard to humans, but they are major household and industrial pests that contaminate and ruin stored food products.