Beetles

Several beetles are common pests of stored food products and often occur in houses, bakeries, grain stores and warehouses - anywhere that food is stored, especially dried food stuffs such as grain, cereals, flour, nuts, etc. Some of the stored food pests, and a variety of other beetles that frequently invade human habitations, can also damage clothing, carpets and other household furnishings, attacking almost anything made from natural fabrics and furs. Stored Product Insects cause huge monetary losses by damaging food products, so it is important to take rapid action if an infestation is suspected. Best controlled through good hygiene, sprays and dusts.

Beetles: Description & Life Cycle

There are several species of beetle that can cause damage to stored food products, they include all the flour beetles ( about half a dozen in Britain) and all the grain beetles, a further three or four species.

Description:

all beetles are much the same in appearance, but with many size differences
they have hard, leathery wings meeting along the mid-line of the back whilst at rest
biting mouthparts
well developed thorax
most can fly

Life cycle:

all beetles lay eggs
the eggs hatch into larvae that will damage stores foods
the larvae pupate and then emerge as adults to continue the cycle