Cadelle

Definition

A cosmopolitan stored-product pest beetle, Tenebroides mauritanicus (family Trogossitidae), recognized by its flattened, elongate body and the characteristic habit of attacking both intact grain and wooden storage structures. Adults and larvae feed on germ and endosperm, and larvae bore into wood to pupate, making infestations particularly damaging to granaries and warehouses.

Etymology

From French cadelle, a diminutive form related to Latin catella (little chain), possibly alluding to the beetle's segmented appearance or chain-like larval galleries in wood.

Example

Cadelles often infest grain elevators where larvae tunnel into wooden support beams to pupate, compromising structural integrity while contaminating stored cereals with frass and shed skins.

Synonyms

• cadelle beetle
• Tenebroides mauritanicus

Related Terms

• stored-product pest
• Trogossitidae
• grain beetle
• warehouse beetle
• germ feeder

Usage Notes

The term refers specifically to Tenebroides mauritanicus, not to other Trogossitidae. In pest management literature, 'cadelle' is used without further specification; contrast with 'larger cadelle' or 'small cadelle' for related species in some regional contexts. The larval behavior of wood-boring distinguishes it from most stored-grain pests that remain within the commodity.