Stored-product-insect
Guides
Ahasverus advena
Foreign grain beetle
Ahasverus advena, commonly known as the foreign grain beetle, is a small silvanid beetle approximately 2 mm in length with a reddish-brown to black coloration. It is a cosmopolitan species of American origin now reported from 110 countries, where it occurs in stored products facilities and diverse outdoor habitats. The species is uniquely adapted to fungal feeding, with larvae capable of developing on fungi alone and elevated tolerance to aflatoxins compared to other stored product beetles. It serves as an indicator of damp, moldy conditions rather than a direct pest of grain, as it does not feed on intact grain kernels but rather on associated fungal growth.
Cadra figulilella
raisin moth
Cadra figulilella, the raisin moth, is a globally distributed pest of dried and ripening fruits in the family Pyralidae. First identified as a pest of Muscat raisins in California in 1928, it has since spread to tropical and Mediterranean climates worldwide. The species is economically significant due to larval damage to dates, raisins, figs, and other fruits both on the tree and in storage. Adults are short-lived and nocturnal, with females laying an average of 160 eggs that hatch into larvae capable of causing up to 90% fruit infestation in severe cases.