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Stored product pest identification advice from Sydney’s pest experts

Stored product pests include a large number of species of beetle, weevil and moth. The species listed below are some of the most common of these pest species.

If you have an infestation of stored product pest, check the description chart below to help ascertain which species may be present within your stock or production area.

Examples of stored product pest species include:


Confused Flour Beetle

Confused flour beetle
The Rust-red Flour Beetle cannot feed on whole grains but rather eat fragments of food such as broken kernels which are within the stock. They have been known to infest grain, cereal products, flour, chocolate, cacao, stockfeed, cottonseed, spices, nuts, dried fruit, dried vegetables, beans, seeds, animal products, drugs and other stored food products.
  • Adult is 3-4mm in length, larvae are approx. 6mm in length
  • Red-brown in colour
  • So named because it is often "confused" with the Rust-Red Flour Beetle but its antennae are four-segmented and thicken gradually towards the tip
  • Thorax is also straighter than that of the rust-red flour beetle, which has curved sides
  • Does not fly despite having developed wings

Rust-Red Flour Beetle

Rust red flou beetle
The Rust-red Flour Beetle cannot feed on whole grains but rather eat fragments of food such as broken kernels which are within the stock. They have been known to infest grain, cereal products, flour, chocolate, cacao, stockfeed, cottonseed, spices, nuts, dried fruit, dried vegetables, beans, seeds, animal products, drugs and other stored food products.
  • Adult is 3-4mm in length, larvae are approx. 6mm in length
  • Red-brown in colour
  • So named because it is often "confused" with the Rust-Red Flour Beetle but its antennae are four-segmented and thicken gradually towards the tip
  • Thorax is also straighter than that of the rust-red flour beetle, which has curved sides
  • Does not fly despite having developed wings

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

Sawtoothed grain beetle
Both the adults and larvae are known to feed on grain, cereal products, nuts, bread, animal products, nuts, dried fruit, dried vegetables, biscuits, pasta, drugs and chocolate as well as many other stored foodstuffs. Eggs are laid and larvae develop within these foodstuffs also. Another major contributing factor to this beetle causing large-scale stock damage is its ability to eat through packaging material.
  • Adult is 3-3.5mm in length, larvae are approx. 4mm in length
  • Dark brown in colour
  • So named because of its flat, slim body with 6 "saw-tooth" like ridges jutting out from each side of  the thorax
  • Do not fly

Flat Grain Beetle

flat grain beetle
The Flat Grain Beetle does not attack undamaged grain stock, but rather will feed on damp or wet grain, or broken kernels which are present within the stock. They are known to feed on grain, cereal products, seeds, dried fruits and other various stored grain products.
  • Adult is 1.5-2mm in length, larvae are approx. 4mm in length when mature 
  • Light brown in colour
  • Long antennae comparatively

Drugstore Beetle

Drugstore beetle
Drugstore Beetle area very common stored product pest and whilst they are not a largely devastating pest in terms of stored grain. Whilst adults do not feed, larvae will infest and attack a very large variety of stored foodstuffs including flour, dried fruits, spices, animal products, pastas, nuts, biscuits, seeds, leather, woolen products, packaging and paper, some grain-based products and dried vegetable/plant matter.
  • Adult is 2-4mm in length, larvae approx. 0.5- 3.5mm in length
  • Red-brown in colour
  • Oval shaped
  • Antennae have 3 distinct larger segments at the end and the head of beetle is usually not visible from above

Cigarette Beetle

Cigarette beetle
The Cigarette Beetle principally attacks tobacco and associated products and is a major pest to stored tobacco products. However it also attacks and feeds on the widest variety of stored food stuffs of any stored product pest including grain, cereal products, flour, chocolate, cacao, stockfeed, cottonseed, spices, nuts, dried fruit, biscuits, dried vegetables, beans, seeds, meat, fish, animal products, drugs, grain-based rodent bait and other stored food products. Often adult beetles will be found some distance from the stock where the infestation is located.
  • Adult is 2-3.5mm in length, larvae is approx. 4mm in length
  • Light brown to whitish in colour, head is dark brown in colour
  • Oval shaped
  • Head of Beetle is usually not visible from above

Angoumois Grain Moth

Angoumois grain moth
The Angoumois Grain Moth is a common pest of stored grain products. They only attack undamaged grain, eggs are laid amongst the grain and larvae then proceed to eat into the grain kernels. It is known to attack wheat, maize, oats, rice and barley.
  • Adult has wingspan of 13-17mm, larvae approx. 4-6mm in length
  • Wings are yellow-brown in colour, having long hairs protruding
  • Back wings come to a point at the tips

Indian Meal Moth

Indian meal moth
The Indian Meal Moth is a common pest of stored foodstuffs. Whilst adults do not feed, larvae feed on a large variety of foods including corn, damaged grain kernels, powdered milk, dried fruits, cereal products, flour, chocolate, biscuits, nuts, seeds, animal food and wheat. Larvae produce and leave a webbing over the product they have infested and are feeding upon.
  • Adult has wingspan of 14-20mm, larvae can be up to 17mm in length
  • Wings are a pale grey in colour, outer sections of forewings are red-brown
  • Head varies from  yellow to red-brown in colour

Tobacco Moth

Tobacco moth
The Tobacco Moth is a common pest which principally attacks stored tobacco. Whilst adults do not feed, in addition to tobacco larvae feed on other foodstuffs including dried fruits, seeds, cocoa beans, cereal products, chocolate, nuts and spices. Larvae generate and leave a webbing over the product they have infested and are feeding upon.
  • Commonly known as the "Tobacco Moth"
  • Adult wingspan is 14-17mm in length, larvae are up to 15mm in length
  • Forewings are patterned in appearance and are brown-grey in colour, crossed with 2 lighter bands
  • Back wings are pale grey in colour

Mediterranean Flour Moth

Mediterranean flour moth
A very common pest in commercial warehouses and mills, the Mediterranean Flour Moth adult also lays eggs amongst suitable product and larvae then proceed to eat into the foodstuffs. Whilst adults do not feed, larvae mostly attack flour but will also feed on grains, nuts, dried fruits, cereal products, beans, chocolate, biscuits, grain-based rodent bait and animal food as well as other stored food products.
  • Adult wingspan is 14-25mm in length, larvae are up to 15mm in length
  • Forewings are patterned in appearance and are blue-grey in colour, crossed with dark zigzagging bands and a row of spots towards the tips of the wings
  • Back wings are fawn in colour

Tropical Warehouse Moth

Tropical warehouse moth
The Tropical warehouse moth larvae produce silk cocoons within foodstuffs and remain concealed whilst feeding.  Webbing is often present in infested stock. They are known to attack grains, flour, dried fruits, cereal products, seeds, nuts, chocolate and cocoa products.
  • Adult wingspan is 15-20mm in length, larvae are up to 15mm in length
  • Forewings are brown-grey in colour with light markings and a darker, straight band running across the wing
  • Back wings are fawn in colour

Granary Weevil

Granary weevil
Granary weevil is a primary pest of grain and one of the most damaging pests to stored grain products. The females of the species bore into whole grains, and lay eggs within the kernels, where larvae then develop within. Both the adult and larvae feed on whole grains such as barley, oats, wheat and maize, but they will also attack cereal products, nuts, beans, pastas and other stored food products.
  • Adult is 2.5-4mm in length, larvae are up to 4mm in length
  • Dark brown to black in colour
  • Head region has a long, skinny snout
  • Cannot fly

Rice Weevil

Rice weevil
The Rice Weevil is a primary pest of grain and is a major, if not the greatest pest to stored food products. The females of the species bore into whole grains, and lay eggs within the kernels, where larvae then develop within. Both the adult and larvae feed on whole grains such as barley, rice, oats, wheat and maize, but they will also attack cereal products, nuts, beans, pastas and other stored food products.
  • Adult is 2.5-3.5mm in length, larvae are up to 4mm in length
  • Red-brown in colour, 4 pale spots are present on abdomen
  • Head region has a long, skinny snout
  • Able to fly

Call us today on  02 9796 7999  to find out more about how we can help with stored product pest identification in Sydney.

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