Assured Audit Pest Prevention - Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle

PROVIDING FOOD SAFETY PEST PREVENTION THROUGHOUT
ARKANSAS, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, & TEXAS

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 in short periods, forcing adults to leave infested foods seeking new food sources. Infestations can quickly spread to every nearby packaged food. The saw-toothed grain beetle cannot fly, but the closely-related merchant grain beetle can.
Diet
Cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate, among other processed or packaged foods.
Control
Discard all infested packages. Clean spilled grain and infested cabinet areas using a vacuum followed by soapy water. Store all dried food goods in a glass or plastic container with a tight lid to limit spreading if one food becomes infested. Consider storing cereals and similar foods in the refrigerator to limit stored pantry pest problems.