General
The adult is an oval beetle approximately 2mm-3mm long. The larvae
are hairy like those of all dermestids and are 2.5 mm long when
fully grown. This species requires a high temperature for optimum
development.
Significance
It is a serious pest of cereals, cereal products, ground nuts, oil
seed products and pulses. It is also a common pest of moultings.
Contact of the larval hairs may cause skin irritation.
Control
The fact that larvae may diapause and also their ability to get into
very deep cracks and crevices makes control difficult to achieve.
Infested commodities should be isolated and destroyed or failing
this, fumigated. The structure and fittings of the infested area,
bases of equipment, pallets, cracks, crevices, should be treated
with a residual insecticide. This treatment may be supplemented
with the use of ultra-low volume insecticide application.
Number of days spent as:
50% RH 30°C
| Egg |
6.5 |
| Larva |
24-30 |
| Pupa |
4.5 |
| Adult |
in cacoon 2 |
50% RH 25°C
| Egg |
9.5 |
| Larva |
38.47 |
| Pupa |
6 |
| Adult |
in cacoon 3 |
|
|
