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THE WAREHOUSE BEETLE
BIOLOGY - This beetle is a voracious feeder. It
is considered one of the most common stored product
pests in the United States. A few of the many materials
it feeds on are seeds of all kinds, dead animals,
cereals, candy, cocoa, cookies, corn, corn meal,
dry dog food, fish meal, flour, dead insects, milk
powder, nut meats, dried peas, potato chips, noodles,
spaghetti and dried spices, as well as, tobacco,
wool, feathers and fur. However, they prefer such
foods as barley, wheat, mixed animal feeds, processed
grains, grocery products and pollen.
This beetle is most common in the North and can
be found outdoors in the cracks of hollow trees
and bird nests where it feeds on dead insects or
indoors especially in attics or other storage areas.
The larva varies in color from a yellow-white to
dark brown, depending on its age. The adult beetle
can fly and is brownish black. Pupation to adult
state requires about five days. It has been observed
that the larva loves the dark, whereas, the adult
prefers light. However, control is most effective
during the larva stage.
The first step in control is to inspect the area
where activity is noted and eliminate the feeding
source where possible.
INSPECTING FOR THE SOURCE - Control will never
be achieved until all infested material is removed.
Although infested foods, such as flour or corn meal;
and other materials can be baked at low temperatures
or frozen to kill the insects, it is simpler and
better to discard such products.
All bags of pet food should be opened and the inside
edges of the bags should be examined with a flashlight.
A portion of the contents should then be poured
onto a piece of white paper. If no insects are seen,
the product can be returned to its container. Spices
should then be checked both as they are opened and
as they are poured onto a piece of paper. Corn meal
and flour should be checked next and this should
be followed by any type of cake mix or other types
of mix. Rice, dried beans, cereals, and pasta are
other possible sources of infestation.
In addition to the kitchen and the pantry, the
attic, closets or other storage areas should be
checked. If the garage is ever used for storage
of the above items, it must also be inspected. Also,
consider items such as wallpaper paste since it
is often cereal based. Packaged rodenticides can
be a source of infestation, particularly if they
were tossed into a remote part of the attic or garage.
In addition, bird nests can harbor warehouse beetles
and should be removed.
CONTROL - After all infested products are removed
and discarded, shelves should be treated with a
residual pesticide labeled for this use.
If the insect was identified as one that could
fly or if the infestation was widespread, space
sprays may help control the scattered infestations.
If shelf paper has been used, it should be discarded
since insects or their eggs could be hidden under
the paper.
PREVENTION - Future infestation in homes can sometimes
be prevented when the source of the previous infestations
is known. For instance, if cornmeal and flour are
the infested products, these can be kept in the
refrigerator. If pet foods are the problem, they
can be kept in a tight metal garbage can outside
or at least in the garage. Spices packed in glass
bottles are less likely to be infested than those
in cardboard or plastic packages. Extreme heat or
cold can either kill or suppress development of
stored product insects. If possible, keep highly
susceptible materials under refrigeration until
needed, especially in warmer climates. Temperatures
in the deep freeze section of the freezer can actually
kill insects if the cold penetrates to all areas
inside the package. Four days in the deep freezer
will kill most stored product pests.
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