Drugstore Beetle

Characteristics

• These beetles are very similar to the cigarette beetle but are slightly larger, up to 3.5 millimeters
• These beetles are fairly active and the adults can sometimes be seen flying around
• The adults have a humped appearance and are brown in color

The drugstore beetle is a tiny beetle that infests a wide variety of products. They will infest food products such as flour, cereal, and spices, but they will just as easily infest fur, leather, books, furniture, and commonly, prescription drugs. They lay eggs on food sources on which the larvae can feed and spin its web. These beetles are an extremely difficult pest to eradicate and contaminated sources should be removed and food should be properly sealed. Infestations are commonly linked to bird nests, so any bird infestation should be dealt with as well. Maintaining a clean environment should be paired with chemical spraying that will prevent these beetles from re-infesting.