Biscuit Beetles

Latin Name: Stegobium paniceum

Months of Activity: January - December

Stored product pests cause tremendous damage and economic losses to stored grains and seeds, packaged food products, and animal and plant-derived items and products. Besides causing direct damage by feeding, they elicit disgust, annoyance, and anger in many of those who find them infesting these products.

Biscuit beetles like to eat a range of cereal, grain and other stored products. They can enter any food package that hasn't been tightly closed and can easily penetrate plastic bags, foil and cardboard.

Appearance

• An adult biscuit beetle is 2-3mm long, reddish-brown in colour, and is able to fly.
• A biscuit beetle larvae is 1-2mm long and white in colour.

Lifecycle

Females will lay eggs either in food or in crevices near to it. The eggs hatch into larvae, which wander around and crawl into tiny spaces to reach food. It is worth noting that a biscuit beetle larvae can survive without food for up to 8 days.

The larvae pupate in cocoons, often within the food, for 1 or 2 weeks and then hatch in to adults. The adults bore their way through food or packaging to emerge, making holes like woodworm.

Pest Control

If you think that a product may be infested, then it should be wrapped in heavy plastic, taken outside, and thrown away. All food containers should be checked for infestation, sealed and left for approximately four months. In addition, all cupboards and surfaces should be emptied and thoroughly cleaned.

Choose an insecticide that is for use with crawling insects making sure that it is approved for use in food rooms. If beetles are present in other rooms, it is likely that they are travelling from a nearby bird's nest, so it is important to check your loft space and chimney area.

Large-scale control for severe infestations can be achieved by fumigation, however, you will need to contact a qualified pest control company in order to carry out this kind of operation.

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