Drugstore beetle
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| Stegobium paniceum Linnaeus, 1758 |
The Drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum) (also known as the Bread beetle or Biscuit beetle) is a tiny, brown beetle that can be found infesting a wide variety of products, and is among the commonest non-weevils to be found there.
They have a worldwide distribution and can be more commonly found in warmer climates. They are similar in appearance to the Cigarette beetle, but are slightly larger (adults can be up to 3.5 mm in length). Additionally, Drugstore beetles have antennae ending in 3-segmented clubs, while Cigarette beetles have serrated antennae (notched like teeth of a saw). The Drugstore beetle also has grooves running longitudinally along the elytra, whereas the Cigarette beetle is smooth.
Their larvae are small, white grubs, and they can be distinguished from the grubs of the Cigarette beetle by their shorter hair. The female can lay up to 75 eggs at once, and the larval period lasts up to several months depending on the food source. It is the larvae that are responsible for most of the damage that this species can cause.
As their name suggests, Drugstore beetles have a tendency to feed on pharmalogical products, including prescription drugs. They will also feed on a diverse range of dried foods and spices, as well as hair, leather, books, and museum specimens. They can bore into furniture, and in some cases tin foil or sheets of lead.
The Drugstore beetle lives in obligatory symbiosis with a yeast fungus, which is passed on to the offspring by covering the eggs with it.
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