Pantry Pests

Appearance Reddish brown, with flat, oblong body; 1/8-inch. Habitat The confused flour beetle gets its name because it is often confused with its nearly identical relative the red flour beetle. The red flour beetle can fly, however, while the confused flour beetle cannot. Both beetles are most common in processed grain products, where their flattened

Appearance Reddish to dark brown, oval in shape; 1/10- to 1/8-inch; its head is not visible from above. Habitat The drugstore beetle’s Latin name of paniceum was derived from its habit of feeding on bread. Its common name was given because it can be found infesting drugs and similar products. This beetle will literally feed

Appearance Reddish copper color on its otherwise white wings; small, up to 5/8-inch. The Indian meal moth was given its name after an insect scientist found it feeding on corn meal, also known as Indian meal. Habitat As a larva, the Indian meal moth spins a web around foods, rendering it unusable; grains, dried fruits,

Appearance Dark brown with yellow spotted bands across the front of their wings; 1/4- to 1/2-inch . Habitat Larder beetles may be found inside walls, attics, crawlspaces and basements, feeding on dead insects or a rodent or bird carcass. They also feed on foods with protein or oils and are common pests wherever animal protein

Appearance Dark brown with four light-colored patches on its wings; the head extends into a long thin “beak.” 1/8-inch in length. Habitat Rice weevils attack whole grains such as wheat, corn, barley and rice. In homes, infestations are generally found in bird seed, nuts, decorative Indian corn and, in rare instances, in old pasta stored

Appearance Brown, very flat, narrow oval shape; 1/10-inch. Habitat Saw-toothed grain beetles like to attack packages of cereal, flour, rice, oats, pet foods, chocolate, pasta and the like. They are found in pantries or in food processing areas, warehouses and grocery stores. They crawl into packaging to eat, live and reproduce. Large populations can develop