Aflatoxin-vector
Guides
Carpophilus hemipterus
dried-fruit beetle
Carpophilus hemipterus is a sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae known as the dried-fruit beetle. It is a cosmopolitan pest of ripening and dried fruits, with documented infestations on dates, litchi, mango, guava, papaya, and stone fruits. The species exhibits strong aggregation behavior mediated by pheromones and shows phototactic flight responses that transition readily to vegetative orientation upon encountering food odors. It completes multiple generations per season in warm climates, with population peaks correlating with temperature and humidity optima. Both adults and larvae cause direct damage to fruits and can vector microorganisms associated with fermentation and aflatoxin production.