Bug Identifier
Confused flour beetle
Community identification

Confused flour beetle

Tribolium confusum

Order & Family
Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae
Size
3 to 4.5 mm (1/8 to 3/16 inch)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Grain silos, warehouses, grocery stores, and domestic kitchens where flour and cereal products are stored.

Diet & Feeding

Processed grain products like flour, cereal, dry pet food, pasta, spices, and dried fruit.

Behavior Patterns

They do not fly but move quickly when disturbed. They reproduce rapidly in warm conditions and go through a complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) in about 4–6 weeks.

Risks & Benefits

No health risk to humans or pets (they do not bite or sting), but they are serious pests of stored products. They can cause food spoilage and impart a disagreeable odor and taste to flour.