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Insect Quiz December, 2005 |
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Insect Quiz December, 2005 |
You are in your kitchen one evening cleaning up when you notice a small insect on the counter. It is reddish brown and about 1/8th inch long. It doesn’t seem to be walking anywhere in particular and you do not see it fly. You remember seeing a couple more of these in your cupboards over the last few weeks but don’t really know where they are coming from.
1. What is this insect?
This is a confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum. Interestingly, while this insect does not fly, a very closely related species, the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum is able to fly short distances. As a larva, a flour beetle is a whitish to yellowish worm-like insect that grows to be about 1/5th inch long. It has a short pair of unsegmented horns on the tip of its abdomen.
2. Where is it coming from?
Flour beetles are associated with stored food products. They are known to infest flour, cereal, and other processed grain products, dry pet food, spices, seeds, dried fruits, beans, chocolate, dried plant displays, and even some rodent baits. You would most likely find these beetles in packages that contain susceptible food, especially if they have already been opened, although it is possible that they can infest unopened boxes as well. Flour beetles could also be associated with food spills or crumbs that occur in quiet, undisturbed areas.
3. What kind of damage, if any, does it cause?
Flour beetles are a pest by consuming our food. They also contaminate it, especially when large numbers are present, and render the food undesirable by people. Nearly all people will throw infested food out and in fact many may even throw out unifested food if they believe insects could be in it. Fortunately, if a person were to accidently ingest one or a few flour beetles, they would not suffer any ill effects.
4. What is the best control for this insect?
Sanitation is the best method to eliminate this insect from your home. Inspect your cupboards, examining the inside of food products for signs of infestations. When you find infested packages, throw them away. It is a good idea to wrap these products up in plastic so the insects can not escape. If you find material that is lightly infested and you wish to save it, e.g. pet food or bird seed, you can place it in the freezer at 0o for at least four days. Sometimes it is fairly easy to find the source of the problem and other times it takes detective work to determine where they are coming from. Keep in mind that there may be more than one source.
To help prevent problems in the future, store uninfested food, especially if they are not eaten up quickly in insect proof containers with tight lids, such as glass jars or heavy plastic containers. You can also store products in the refrigerator. Buy amounts of food you can use up in a short period of time and use older packages before opening new ones. Keep food storage areas clean by cleaning up crumbs and other food debris that accumulates.
The use of insecticides is not suggested. General spray don’t have any effect on insects inside food packaging and control of insects found out in the open is temporary unless their food source is eliminated.
