1. An Introduction to Pantry Pests Thomas J. Weissling Assistant Professor of Entomology University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Research

2. Pests of Stored Foods and Products Infestations of stored product pests are usually caused by bringing infested food home. Although adults are often found, larvae cause most damage to the commodity. Stored product pests are either beetles or moths, occasionally mites. In the home environment pests are, are generally considered an aesthetic problem but can cause allergic reactions in some people when insect parts are ingested. Many pests are tropical or subtropical in origin…like warmth and humidity but many are adapted to living on foods with low moisture content.

3. Grouped by feeding habits: 1) Internal Feeders Larvae live entirely within whole grain kernels Rice Weevil, Granary Weevil, Angoumois Grain Moth 2) External Feeders Larvae chew on outside of grain Lesser Grain Borer, Drugstore Beetle, Flat Grain Beetle, Cadelle, Khapra Beetle, Cigarette Beetle 3) Scavengers Feed on broken grain Confused Flour Beetle, Red Flour Beetle, Sawtoothed Grain Beetle 4) Secondary Pests Feed on rotting, moldy materials Yellow Mealworm, Psocids, Some Mites

4. Common insects in Florida associated with whole grain: Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)  Family Curculionidae  It is 2 to 3 mm long and reddish brown.  The thorax has round pits, and the wing covers have four light spots.  It usually attacks whole corn, has been found in macaroni and spaghetti.  Found in the southern states.  The life cycle can be completed in 30 days.

5. Rice Weevil, Sitophilus oryzae Usually found in whole grains, and pasta Life cycle completed in about 30 days 2 - 3 mm long Clemson Univ.

6. Rice Weevil

7. Common insects in Florida associated with whole grain: Lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica  Family Bostrichidae  It is 3 mm long and dark brown to black in color.  Its head is hidden beneath the thorax.  The thorax is very rough, and the overall shape of the beetle is cylindrical.  It attacks whole grains, including rice.  The eggs are laid in clusters on the surface, and the larvae burrow into the kernels.  The life cycle takes about 58 days.

8. Lesser Grain Borer Attacks whole grain Life cycle takes about 58 days 3 mm long

9. Other Weevils  family Bruchidae  The bean weevil is olive brown, mottled with dark brown and gray, and it is 3 mm long.  It has one large and two small spines on the tip of the hind femur, and the legs and antennae are reddish.  The cowpea weevil has a large spot in the middle of the wing cover, with black tips on the wings.  These weevils attack stored beans and peas.  The life cycle can be completed in 21 to 80 days. Common insects in Florida associated with whole grain:

10. Weevils (Bruchidae): Cowpea Weevil Infest whole legumes (beans, peas) Life cycle completed in 21 - 80 days 3 mm long

11. Common insects in Florida associated with whole grain: Augoumois Grain Moth, Sitrotroga cerealella  Family Gelechiidae  Important pests that attacks only whole grains  Will attack grains while still in the field  Adults with 13 – 17 mm wing span  Hind wings buff colored and narrow to a point apically and are margined with many long hairs  40 – 65 day life cycle

13. Angoumois Grain Moth

14. Common insects in Florida associated with broken grain: Flour beetles, Tribolium spp.  Family Tenebrionidae  The two major species are the red and confused flour beetles.  They are both reddish brown and 3 to 4 mm long.  Each antenna of the red flour beetle has a three segmented club;  The antenna of the confused flour beetle has a four segmented club.  Red flour beetles fly; confused flour beetles do not fly.  They infest flour and milled grain.  The life cycle takes about 30 days.

15. Flour Beetles, Tribolium spp. 3 - 4 mm long Infest flour and milled grain Life cycle takes about 30 days

16. Confused Flour Beetles 3 – 4 mm long Feed on broken grains and grain products

17. Common insects in Florida associated with broken grain: Mealworms, Tenebrio spp.  Family Tenebrionidae  Are the largest insects attacking stored grain and are 13 mm long.  The yellow and the dark mealworms are the most common species.  Adults are shiny black with well-developed wings.  They fly and are attracted to light.  Larvae are slender, yellow or dark brown with shiny cuticle  They infest milled grain that has high moisture.  The life cycle can be completed in 10 months.  Often represent most cases of gastrointestinal canthariasis

18. Mealworms,Tenebriospp. Infest milled grain that has high moisture content Life cycle takes about 10 months 13 mm long

19. Common insects in Florida associated with broken grain: Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella  Family Pyralidae  It has a wingspread of about 19 mm.  The wings are tan on the basal one third and coppery colored on the rest.  It spins webs on the infested product.  The life cycle can be completed in 60 days.

20. Indianmeal Moth Larvae spin webs on infested products Infest broken grains, dried milk, etc. Life cycle takes 60 days Wingspan 19 mm

21. Indianmeal Moth

22. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders Sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis  Family Cucujidae  It is about 2.5 mm long and is brown in color.  The body is flattened and the thorax has six sawtoothed projections on each side.  It is common in cereal products and macaroni.  Because of its size, it can enter packaging through tiny cracks and folds.  It cannot fly, and its life cycle takes about 30 days.

23. Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

24. Cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne.  Family Anobiidae  It is 3 mm long and reddish brown.  The head is bent down under the thorax; the antennae do not have a club.  The wing cover is smooth and covered with golden hairs.  Besides attacking tobacco, it infests spices, seeds, and dog food.  Can eat pyrethrum powder in doses high enough to kill cockroaches  The life cycle takes 30 to 50 days. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders

25. Cigarette Beetle

26. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders Drugstore beetle, Stegobium paniceum.  Family Anobiidae  It is 2.5 mm long and brown in color.  It has a three-segmented club on the antennae.  The wing covers have longitudinal lines.  It infests flour, cereal, spices, dog food, prescription drugs and many other products.  Can penetrate wood, tin foil, aluminum foil and lead to get to food  It has a life cycle of about 60 days.

27. Drugstore beetle

28. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders Almond moth, Cadra cautella.  Family Pyralidae  It has a wing spread of about 15 mm.  The wings are brownish or blackish gray with the base lighter than the wing tip, which also has a fringe of hairs.  The almond moth infests dried fruit and nuts.  The life cycle can be completed in 60 days.

29. Almond Moth Infests dried fruit & nuts Life Cycle completed in about 60 days Wingspan 15 mm

30. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders Dermestid Beetles  Family Dermestidae  Size of adults and larvae variable  Larvae and adults covered with hairs  Are scavengers on a variety of products  Common species is the Khapra beetle  Can cause allergic reactions and gastrointestinal canthariasis  Life cycle variable

31. Dermestid Beetle

32. Common pantry pests in Florida that are general feeders Spider Beetles  Family Ptinidae  Small beetles (1.5 – 4.5 mm) with long legs giving a “mite- or spider-like” appearance  Are usually late succession scavengers

33. Spider Beetles

34. Control of Pantry Pests A) In Homes Prevention: 1) Buyer Beware…buy only sealed products unbroken package not a guarantee of lack of infestation 2) Purchase only the amount of packaged food that can be used in 2 - 4 months

35. 3) Store foods in insect proof containers…prevents entry and escape 4) Store products in freezer 5) Practice cleanliness in storage areas

36. Control 1) Find source of infestation 2) Remove infested material Freeze….0 o F for 4 days Heat…in oven at 130 o F for 30 minutes 3) Clean area where infestation found (vacuum and wash)

37. Can treat with a residual insecticide Must insure that insecticide does not come in contact with food, either by removing all food or by covering After insecticide dries, place paper over treated shelves then replace food Pheromone sticky traps are also effective. These are available through some home catalogs.

38. 4) Fumigate stored grains (Carbon Dioxide) Place a chunk of dry ice (0.25 pounds/5 gal. Container) directly on top of grain in storage container. Leave lid loose for 30 min. then seal tightly and do not open for 14 days SAME PRINCIPLES CAN BE APPLIED TO RESTAURANTS, ETC.

39. Author: Tom Weissling, University of Florida Photos: University of Florida Clemson University Entomology And Nematology Department Copyright University of Florida 2000 For more detailed information see the Featured Creatures WWW site at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/