General
The adult is adark brown beetle with a body length of 2.5mm – 3mm. The head is tucked under the thorax and is not normally visible from above. The prothorax is coarsely tuberculate. The antennae have a large, loose, three-segmented club. The larva has a curved ‘C’ shaped body, which is broadest in the thoracic region and is clothed in short hairs. The larvae bore into the grains and feed on them until little is left but the husk.

Significance
Wheat and rice are the usual foodstuffs infested. In addition this beetle will attack a number of timbers. It rarely becomes established in the UK.

Control
Infested commodities should be isolated and destroyed, or failing this fumigated. The structure and fittings of the infested area should be treated with a residual insecticide. This treatment may be supplemented with the use of an ultra-low volume insecticide application.

Number of days spent as: