Stegobiini
Stegobiini
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Bostrichoidea
- Family: Ptinidae
- Subfamily: Anobiinae
- Tribe: Stegobiini
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Stegobiini: /stɛɡoʊˈbiːaɪnaɪ/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Summary
The drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum) is a common pest of stored food products, known for its destructive feeding habits and complex life cycle involving a symbiotic relationship with yeast. It has a worldwide distribution, particularly in warm climates, and poses significant economic impacts due to contamination of food and other materials.
Physical Characteristics
The drugstore beetle is a reddish brown, small beetle ranging from about 1/10 to 1/7 inches (2.25 mm to 3.5 mm) long, with an oval shape and a rounded head. Adults have serrated antennae ending in three larger final segments and a body covered with rows of pits giving a striated appearance. The wing coverings are lined with longitudinal grooves.
Identification Tips
Adult drugstore beetles possess antennae ending in 3-segmented clubs, while cigarette beetles have serrated (saw-like) antennae. The drugstore beetle's body is lined with grooves running longitudinally along the elytra, distinguishing it from the smooth-bodied cigarette beetle.
Habitat
The drugstore beetle is commonly found in warm climates and infests a wide variety of dried plant products, along with foods and materials in homes and commercial establishments.
Distribution
The drugstore beetle is distributed worldwide with a higher prevalence in warmer climates.
Diet
The drugstore beetle attacks a wide variety of food sources including grains, bread, coffee beans, powdered milk, cookies, chocolates, spices, herbs, dried fruit, seeds, as well as museum specimens, wool, hair, leather, books, upholstery, and manuscripts.
Life Cycle
The life cycle of the drugstore beetle transitions from egg to 4-6 larval instars, then to a pupal stage in a silk and food material cocoon, before emerging as an adult.
Reproduction
Females can lay up to 75 eggs, primarily depositing them in or near food sources. Approximately 80% of laid eggs are fertile, and the eggs take around 7–20 days to hatch depending on temperature.
Ecosystem Role
The drugstore beetle plays a role as a decomposer and pest, affecting stored products and their conditions.
Economic Impact
Drugstore beetles negatively impact stored materials leading to economic losses in various sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. They contaminate food items with waste, causing them to be discarded, leading to wasted inventory and revenue loss.
Health Concerns
Infestations can compromise food safety and public health, particularly in pharmaceuticals.
Evolution
The drugstore beetle has an extensive evolutionary history, with fossil evidence dating back to the Late Cretaceous period. Archaeological findings show its presence as a pest for over 3,500 years.
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
The drugstore beetle is often mistakenly referred to as the biscuit weevil despite not being a weevil.
Tags
- Beetle
- Pest
- Food safety
- Stored product pest
- Symbiosis