Merchant Grain Beetle

Merchant Grain Beetle

Identification

Merchant grain beetles are dark brown and have six saw-like teeth on each side of their bodies. They can grow to be one-eighth of an inch long and have very flat bodies.

Environment

These beetles are typically found year-round in pantries, food processing areas and warehouses where any accessible food can quickly become a buffet. Despite their name, merchant grain beetles prefer cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate to grains.

Threats

Merchant grain beetles can quickly take over food products and contaminate them. Their body shape allows them to crawl in to packaging where they eat, live and reproduce, allowing infestations to grow quickly.

Treatment

Pantry pests can reproduce quickly to take over your kitchen, and what may initially seem like a small problem can quickly turn in to an infestation.You must remove the source of infestation in order to be successful. Afterwards, vacuum and clean inside the cabinets, wall edges, and shelving.