The Fur Beetle is black and covered in white hairs. The Varied Carpet Beetle is brown or black and mottled with yellow or white scales. They are often spotted in the home as they crawl across the surface of fabrics and tend to feed at the top of the carpet rather than down in the base fibres.Ĭommonly found feeding on dried foods also, they contaminate it with faeces and discarded shells.Īll carpet beetles are between 2-4mm long with the exception of the Fur Beetle which is 4.5-6mm long. The larvae also leave behind shells as they moult, which are a known cause of allergies in some humans. wool, silk, fur etc… They eat large irregular shaped holes in a wide variety of fabrics. This insect damages animal based materials in homes e.g. The larvae enjoy a warm, dark environment while the beetle is drawn to the light.
#Biscuit beetle in bed full#
There are a number of moulting stages between larvae and reaching full adulthood. The larvae have also been known to feed on synthetic products too, in addition to household foods and dead insects. These flying insects are mainly considered a pest because of their destructive larvae that feast on a wide variety of keratin based animal products including wool, silk, hides and furs. Evidence of an infestation is not just the insects themselves but also the larvae which continuously moult before adulthood, leaving behind tell-tale shells and lots of destruction. However, as the name suggests, Carpet Beetles are often prevalent in the carpet’s pile but this is not their only habitat. The larvae, which are the true pests of this species, are typically longer in body length and are a reddish-brown colour.īlack Carpet Beetles are found throughout Australia.Ĭarpet beetles are as common in food pantries as they are in a carpet or wardrobe. Small and oval shaped, the Black Carpet Beetle is a black colour with brown legs and short antennae. Books and manuscripts may also be attacked The larvae are able to penetrate tinfoil and sheet lead. Infested products may be contaminated and products and packaging may be damaged. In a warm atmosphere, there may be as many as four generations per year.īiscuit beetles feed on a wide range of cereal crops and beverage concentrates. It lays its eggs on a food source and once they begin to hatch the larvae continue to feed on the food. These insects are winged but tend to travel by transferring from one food source to the next. With such a varied diet it is found in a wide range of places, as it will survive on any type of food. flour, bread, it is an indiscriminate eater and will feast on a wide variety of products from furs and leather to spices and even pharmaceutical products. It is also a serious pest of agricultural grain storage.Ī pest of cereal products e.g. They are fond of warmth and so are widely prevalent in shops and domestic larders, infesting a wide variety of dried matter and stored food products. The Biscuit Beetle, which is also commonly known at the Drugstore Beetle, has distinctive longitudinal grooves along its wing cover and its antennae end in three enlarged segments.Ī cosmopolitan pest, it can be found all across the world but is particularly prevalent in warmer regions and can survive in heated structures in more temperate climates. The have a cylindrical body that appears to be humped and are covered in dense short yellowish hairs. Oval shaped and reddish-brown in colour, the adult is 2-3.5mm long. Moth larvae usually fly to a hidden site away from the food source to pupate, adults then mate and eggs are deposited on or in suitable food.Įmerging beetle adults feed on grain or find shelter in the structure of the silo/warehouse prior to invading new food sources. Eggs are laid in the grain or part-processed food (flour, bran etc.) where the larvae feed through to the pupal stage. This may occur in succession – primary then secondary. The main lepidopteron pests are secondary they feed regularly on processed foods so are more common in domestic kitchens and larders.Ī variety of pests infest stored grain.
Secondary beetle pests include the flour beetles (Triboliumconfusumand T.castaneum) Primary coleopteran pests include grain weevils (Sitophilusgranarius, S.zeamais, S.oryzae),the lesser grain borer (Rhyzoperthadominica) and the saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilussurinamensis.) Understanding Primary and Secondary Pests Losses can amount to 10% or more of the commodity through spoilage or secondary fungal infection. Within each group, some species are considered as primary pests, they attack the whole grain, while others follow the initial damage as secondary pests. Stored product pests fall into two main insect orders:
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