Bug Identifier
Pantry Beetle / Drugstore Beetle / Cigarette Beetle
Community identification

Pantry Beetle / Drugstore Beetle / Cigarette Beetle

Stegobium paniceum / Lasioderma serricorne

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Ptinidae
Size
2.0 to 3.5 mm (approximately 1/8 inch) in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments, specifically pantries, kitchens, warehouses, and storage areas where dried organic materials are kept.

Diet & Feeding

Stored food products including flour, bread, spices, dried herbs, pet food, cereal, and sometimes non-food items like leather or book bindings.

Behavior Patterns

They are active flyers and are often attracted to light. The larvae do the most damage by tunneling through food sources, while adults are short-lived and focus on reproduction.

Risks & Benefits

They are major pests of stored products, causing economic loss and food contamination. They do not bite or sting humans and do not spread disease, but infested food should be discarded.