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The sawtoothed grain beetle is
distinguished from the merchant grain beetle by its smaller eyes. The
area just behind the eyes of the sawtoothed grain beetle, however, is
much larger than the same area on the merchant grain beetle
One female merchant or sawtoothed grain beetle may produce up to 285
eggs deposited singly or in small batches within the food. Larvae are
active crawlers and move about through the food as they feed. They are
scavengers and not capable of feeding on whole grains unless other
insects have first attacked the kernels. After molting 2 to 4 times,
the larva pupates and the adults emerge in about 7 days. The entire
life cycle from egg to adult takes 27 to 50+ days, depending on the
food quality and temperature. The female beetle lives from 6 to 10
months and several generations per year may occur.
Large populations of these beetles
can develop in short periods, forcing adults to leave infested foods
seeking new food sources. They have been known to invade every package
or food stored near an infested food product. Infestations, therefore,
are often widespread throughout a room or area. The merchant grain
beetle can fly, but the sawtoothed grain beetle cannot.
These grain beetles are two of the
more commonly encountered insects in processed grain, oats, pet foods
and seeds. Merchant grain beetles are found more often in foods that
are high in oils and fats, such as peanuts or birdseed.
Other foods attacked include rice,
cereals, dried fruits, breakfast foods, grain meals, sugar, chocolate,
drugs, pastas and tobacco. Its varied food preferences make it one of
the most commonly encountered stored product beetles in retail food
stores, warehouses and homes. In unheated grain facilities in northern
states, breeding ceases at the onset of cold weather.
Advice for Rust Red Flour Beetle:
Use Fortefog Mini Fumers,
Fortefog Maxi P Fumers or
Agrodust.
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