Description

Adults are very small, brown to reddish, with the head tucked under the overhanging pronotum. The Cigarette beetle is shinier, more rounded, with antennal segments all small and equal in size. Life cycle completes in about one month, with both larva and adult actively feeding.

Why be concerned?

Drugstore and cigarette beetles are two of many "stored product" beetles. Infestation can destroy both food and nonfood items. Look for these beetles in stored dried food, bulk food, dried flowers, arts & crafts, decorative items, and fur. Even small amounts of infested food can quickly result in major infestations of these nuisance insects.

What You Can Do

Do not store large quantities of dried food products for long periods of time. Check bulk food carefully. Discard dried flowers or crafts items at the first sign of infestation. If you have had rodent problems, be aware that rodents will store food in walls and ceilings and that this stored food often causes major infestations.

What We Would Do

There is one way to treat stored beetle infestation: find the source. Your Eden technician has the training and know-how to do just that. Once found, removal of the source is often the only treatment necessary; however, chemical treatment may be required for inaccessible source areas or to quickly reduce heavy populations.

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