Beetle Pest Control

These beetles have extremely flat bodies. This body shape allows them to crawl into packaged foods to eat, live and reproduce. It only takes them about 3-4 weeks to grow from baby to adult and an adult Merchant Grain beetle can live up to 3 years. Merchant Grain beetles can be found all over the world and can live in cooler climates. Once confused with a kind of beetle that does eat grain, the Merchant beetle was scientifically re-categorized, but the name stuck. These beetles get their name because they were commonly found on merchant ships, hiding in organic cargo.

• Size: 1/10" to 1/8"
• Shape: Narrow, oval, flat
• Legs: 6
• Wings: Yes
• Antenna: Yes
• Common Name: Merchant Grain Beetle
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Insecta
• Order: Coleoptera
• Family: Anobiidae
• Species: Lyctus

Diet:

Merchant grain beetles don’t really eat whole grain products. They are drawn to foods high in fat, such as cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate.

Habitat:

Lyctid Powder Post beetles lay their eggs in cracks of wood. They are found in hardwood floors, timbers and crates, antiques and other things made of hard wood.

Impact:

Lyctid Powder Post beetles dig holes in wood. They can kill or damage trees and things made from wood like furniture. There are even documented cases that powder post beetles have destroyed houses!

Impact:

Inspect wood sources around the home.
Paint or seal any exposed or raw wood in your home.