Cosmopolitan-pest
Guides
Anthrenus flavipes
furniture carpet beetle
Anthrenus flavipes is a small dermestid beetle known as the furniture carpet beetle. Adults are 2–3.5 mm long, black with variable white and yellow mottling, and have rounded or oval body scales that distinguish them from related carpet beetles. The species has a cosmopolitan distribution and is a significant pest of household materials, particularly upholstered furniture, carpets, and textiles. Larvae are responsible for damage, feeding on keratin-containing materials including wool, hair, feathers, and silk.
Anthrenus museorum
museum beetle
Anthrenus museorum is a small dermestid beetle commonly known as the museum beetle. Adults measure 2–4 mm with round bodies and dark elytra bearing bright colored spots. The larval stage is the primary damaging form, feeding on dry animal materials including skin, hair, feathers, and occasionally dry food products like cheese, flour, or cocoa. The species is native to Europe and has become globally distributed through commercial trade, now occurring across the Palearctic, Near East, Nearctic, and other regions including China and Australia. It is a significant pest in museums, where larvae damage taxidermy specimens and insect collections.
Aphis gossypii
cotton aphid, melon aphid, melon and cotton aphid, greenfly
Aphis gossypii is a small sap-sucking aphid and significant agricultural pest with a global distribution. It infests crops in at least three plant families, particularly Cucurbitaceae, Rutaceae, and Malvaceae, causing direct damage through feeding and indirect damage as a vector of plant viruses. The species exhibits complex life cycle strategies including both holocyclic (sexual) and anholocyclic (asexual) reproduction depending on geographic location and climate. It has developed resistance to multiple insecticide classes, complicating management efforts.
Cryptolestes pusillus
Flat Grain Beetle, Red Flat Grain Beetle
Cryptolestes pusillus, commonly known as the flat grain beetle or red flat grain beetle, is a species of lined flat bark beetle in the family Laemophloeidae. Native to Europe, it has become a cosmopolitan pest of stored grain products. The species is frequently studied as a model organism for stored product pest management and biological control research, serving as prey for predatory bugs and host for parasitoid wasps.
Ferrisia
mealybugs
Ferrisia is a genus of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) established by David T. Fullaway in 1923 with F. virgata as the type species. The genus underwent taxonomic revision in 2012, resulting in recognition of 18 species including eight newly described species, and the transfer of F. floridana to the new genus Pseudoferrisia. Species of Ferrisia are characterized by distinctive morphological features including enlarged dorsal tubular ducts with associated discoidal pores, and ventral oral-collar tubular ducts of varying sizes. The genus is native to the Americas but includes species now found worldwide, with F. virgata being a particularly widespread and economically significant pest.
Liposcelis decolor
booklouse
Liposcelis decolor is a minute stored-product pest psocid (booklouse) of significant economic importance worldwide. It infests stored grains and grain products, causing direct damage through consumption of endosperm and germ, and indirect damage by distributing molds and transmitting disease pathogens. The species exhibits high tolerance to phosphine fumigant, making chemical control difficult, and recovers rapidly from poorly conducted fumigations. It has been extensively studied as prey for biological control agents including the warehouse pirate bug Xylocoris flavipes and predatory mites Cheyletus eruditus and C. malaccensis.
Oryzaephilus
sawtoothed grain beetles, merchant grain beetles
Oryzaephilus is a genus of small, flattened beetles in the family Silvanidae, comprising 16 described species. The genus includes two major stored product pests: O. surinamensis (sawtoothed grain beetle) and O. mercator (merchant grain beetle), which are nearly identical in appearance and frequently confused. Most species in the genus are associated with stored grain products, though some inhabit natural environments under bark and leaf litter. The genus is characterized by distinctive saw-like projections on the pronotum and complete metamorphosis with rapid development under favorable conditions.
Oryzaephilus mercator
Merchant Grain Beetle
A small, flattened beetle approximately 2.5–3 mm in length. A cosmopolitan pest of stored food products, particularly processed cereals and oilseeds with high oil content. Distinguished from the nearly identical Oryzaephilus surinamensis by its larger eyes and narrower head behind the eyes. Unlike O. surinamensis, adults are capable of flight.
Plodia
Indian meal moth (P. interpunctella), pantry moth, flour moth, grain moth, weevil moth
Plodia is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae, erected by Achille Guenée in 1845. The genus contains three species, with P. interpunctella (Indian meal moth) being the most economically significant as a cosmopolitan pest of stored food products. Adults are small moths with distinctive wing banding, while larvae infest grains, dried fruits, nuts, and other stored goods. The genus is notable for its association with human food storage environments worldwide.
Tribolium
flour beetles
Tribolium is a genus of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, commonly known as flour beetles. Several species are major pests of stored grain products worldwide, particularly Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) and Tribolium confusum (confused flour beetle). The genus has also become an important model organism in developmental biology and genetics research due to its ease of laboratory rearing and amenability to RNA interference techniques.