How to Tell If the Tiny Brown Bugs Are Drugstore Beetles
The adult form of the drugstore beetle is very tiny and only measures a few millimeters. Its body is reddish-brown, and it possesses a round body that is slightly humped when viewed from the side.
Its head is commonly hidden under the anterior part of the body, making it distinguishable from the flatter bodies of the pantry beetle. A Bradford pest control technician can help confirm the insect when identification is uncertain.
The other distinguishing characteristic of the drugstore beetle is the presence of fine longitudinal rows of grooves in its wing covers.
These characteristics are hard to observe but are vital in the differentiation of drugstore beetles from the other stored product pests.
Adults can either crawl on shelves, counters, walls, and even cupboards. The adults can fly, meaning that finding a beetle far from the source of infestation does not mean much.
Beetles located near the window or lamp, for instance, may have emerged from an infested package a few feet away.
Drugstore beetles are known to resemble other types of small brown pantry beetles such as cigarette beetles. They are almost similar in size and colour. The difference between them is that drugstore beetles have more pronounced grooves on their wing cases while cigarette beetles have more smooth wing cases.
Location is another good criterion for distinguishing between them. Finding several small brown beetles near stored dry goods, spices, or pet food requires an examination of these products.
What Household Products Can Drugstore Beetles Infest?
Drugstore beetles can feed on a surprisingly wide range of dried products. In kitchens, they are often associated with items that remain stored for long periods.
Products worth checking include:
- Flour, cereal, pasta, and crackers
- Dried herbs and spices
- Rice and other grains
- Pet food and dry animal treats
- Dried fruit and plant-based products
- Baking ingredients and powdered foods
They could also occur in less apparent dried goods.
The variety in diet is among the reasons why it can be hard to trace the source by looking at just the flour or cereal alone.
Begin with foods that have stayed the longest in the cupboard. Infrequently used spices, baking ingredients, open pet food, and neglected packets at the back of shelves should be given more importance.
An infested food item doesn’t always appear to have been heavily affected on the outside. The adult beetles can come out through tiny openings.
How to Find Where the Beetles Are Coming From
Discovering where the source is hiding is far more critical than killing off the visible adults. Adults that are found crawling on a countertop may have emerged from a product that is located behind a cupboard door.
Begin your search with the cupboard or storage area nearest to where the infestation was discovered. Take out products one by one and check the box, the contents, and the shelf below.
Watch for signs such as:
- Tiny holes in cardboard, paper, or thin packaging
- Adult beetles inside or around a package
- Small pale larvae in stored products
- Fine powder or unusual crumbs around food
- Damaged or contaminated dry goods
Do not automatically assume that a sealed package is safe. Check the seams, folds, corners, and underside of the package for holes and beetles.
Work through one shelf at a time before going on to another shelf. This will make it easier to pinpoint where the problem is and minimize the risk of missing a small package.
Spices are especially important to check since they can go for months without being opened. Pet foods, dried herbs, baking goods, and older pantry items are also prone to being overlooked.
If you discover one infested item, check everything that was stored adjacent to it, above and below it. Just finding one infested item does not necessarily mean it is the only one affected.
Once the suspect item is removed, keep checking the area for further signs of beetle activity. Continued activity may indicate that there is still an infested item nearby.
What Bradford Homeowners Should Do After Finding an Infested Product
Once the infested item has been discovered, it should be put into a closed plastic bag as the product is removed from the kitchen. This is a good way to control beetle population and loose material as the product is getting thrown out.
Before you return your items back into the pantry shelves, it is always good to check the nearby products. These will often include items stored near the product or those that have been in contact with the infested item.
Now, empty out the infected shelf and clean the shelves properly. You need to vacuum up any loose crumbs, dust, beetles, and other material in the shelf corners, edges, or cracks. Afterwards, the surface needs to be cleaned as well.
Dry foods that are not active can be put in strong, well-sealed containers. It will also facilitate future inspections as beetles will not be able to hide themselves in any way through torn papers and cardboard packaging.
Keep an eye out for the cupboard and the surrounding kitchen area for the next few days. There might have been one adult beetle that had escaped detection before the source was found, but multiple sightings warrant another inspection.
If drugstore beetles keep coming up even after getting rid of the source and inspecting the nearby products, it may be difficult to find the source. In such a case, one can always seek help from a pest control service provider in identifying the source and taking further steps.