Confused Flour Beetles
A bug that many people consider to be a pest is the confused flour beetle. Confused flour beetles are insects that damage stored foods by eating them or destroying their texture. This beetle usually attacks non-packaged supplies of grain after having feasted on any exposed, packaged food sources it can find.
They are believed to cause the most damage in dry climates, especially when they attack grains like wheat and rice, which are already low in nutritional value.
These beetles are usually active at night, which gives them the advantage of stealthy attacks and sneakier methods.
BEHAVIOR OF CONFUSED FLOUR BEETLES
Confused flour beetles are extremely small, so they can enter through tiny cracks and crevices. There is no need to make the crack any bigger for a confused flour beetle to slither right in. Once inside its food source, the bug will start eating immediately. This rapid consumption of food makes it easy for them to contaminate as much as they can, and this is yet another threat to stored food.
They like to crawl around in their meal until they find a place that satisfies them. After finding the best spot, they will start boring into it with their many legs and chew out chunks of grain or flour from whatever packaging it might be, whether it’s a bag of rice or a box of pasta.
As if this act wasn’t enough to damage the food source, their larvae attach themselves to the outside and chew on it, too. This is why confused flour beetles can be so devastating for storage facilities – entire bags or boxes might be ruined in a matter of days with just one beetle and its offspring.
CONTROL OF CONFUSED FLOUR BEETLES
The best defense against the confused flour beetle is to take preventive steps. Many people will store their food in a clean, dry area of their home away from windows and ventilators – even air conditioning ducts can bring bugs indoors with cooler drafts. If possible, it’s also advisable to seal all bagged or boxed food sources with tape or by tying them shut. This will not only keep out confused flour beetles but insects and rodents as well.
CONFUSED FLOUR BEETLES FACTS
Confused flour beetles are usually about 1/16 inch (1.5 millimeters) long with a yellowish-tan body and six legs.
Their antennae are also tan with four parts, and their wings end in fringes. The larvae of the confused flour beetle is creamy white with a brown head. Confused flour beetles have a life cycle of around 20 to 40 days, depending on the surrounding temperature. They lay their eggs within a food source and when they hatch, the larvae will take about four weeks to develop before pupating. In just a few more weeks, those bugs turn into adult beetles ready for more feasting.
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If you find any Confused flour beetles in your Charlotte County home, contact Bug Off Pest Charlotte immediately. We can help rid you of these garden pests and get your lawn or yard back to normal! As always, we are happy to answer any questions you may have about Confused flour beetles or any other pest. Call us today 941-676-2005
