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Red Flour beetle on a grain of rice - Keep beetles out of your pantry with City Termite & Pest Control in Malvern, AR

Red Flour Beetle

Actual Size: 3.5 mm

Characteristics: Elongated, flattened body with an overall reddish-brown to dark-brown coloration. Its body is covered in fine hairs, giving it a slightly textured appearance.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Yes, and can fly short distances.

Habitat: They can be found in flour mills, grain storage facilities, food processing plants, warehouses, grocery stores, household pantries,  and kitchen cabinets.

Habits:

  • Females lay eggs on or near food sources. 
  • Are most active during the night.
  • Feed on milled grains, flour, cereal products, nuts, and other stored dry food items.
  • Thrive in warm and humid environments, but will survive the colder months in protected places.


Red Flour Beetles in Central Arkansas

Flour and grain-based products face the risk of infestation by several types of beetles, known collectively as flour beetles. Among these, the red flour beetle and the confused flour beetle pose the greatest economic threat. These pests target stored grain products like flour, cereals, spices, pasta, cake mix, dried flowers, and even preserved specimens in museums. The red flour beetle tends to thrive in warmer climates and has limited flying abilities. While flour beetles consume grain dust and milled cereals, they are unable to invade sound and unharmed grain.

Red Flour Beetle Habitat

Red flour beetles can reproduce year-round in environments that remain warm even during winter. They are not limited to infested grain products but can also be discovered in cracks and crevices where spilled grain may accumulate. Cereal, cake mix, cornmeal, crackers, dry pet food, chocolate, nuts, and seeds like birdseed are common targets for flour beetles. Infested items typically harbor both adult beetles and small, off-white larvae. Females llay eggs on or near food sources. They can produce hundreds of eggs during their lifetime. Adults often stray from infested materials and may be found in pantries, cupboards, or any area within the home.Red flour beetles can reproduce year-round in environments that remain warm even during winter. They are not limited to infested grain products but can also be discovered in cracks and crevices where spilled grain may accumulate. Cereal, cake mix, cornmeal, crackers, dry pet food, chocolate, nuts, and seeds like birdseed are common targets for flour beetles. Infested items typically harbor both adult beetles and small, off-white larvae. Females llay eggs on or near food sources. They can produce hundreds of eggs during their lifetime. Adults often stray from infested materials and may be found in pantries, cupboards, or any area within the home.

Red Flour Beetle Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Red flour beetles are harmless in terms of biting or stinging, though they may provoke allergic reactions. Although they don’t transmit diseases, the accumulation of dead bodies, shed skins, and fecal matter in grain can emit foul odors. Signs of an infestation include the visual presence of beetles crawling or flying indoors, their presence in flour or cereal products, and the occurrence of “leaky packages.” The sight of meal or grain fragments spilling from packaging or small holes chewed through packaging are telltale signs of an infestation. Contact your local pantry pest control experts for help with red flour beetle problems.