The
Biscuit Beetle – Do You Know What They Are?
There are all kinds of insects
and tiny little critters that can invade our homes, sometimes without us
noticing.
We often realise the signs of
some of the more common insects, such as woodworm, carpet beetles and moths but
there is another insect that is incredibly common in UK homes: The Biscuit
Beetle.
What
is a Biscuit Beetle?
Also known as a Drugstore Beetle,
it is found worldwide but prefers a temperate climate like we have here in the
UK.
It is common throughout the UK,
especially in food storage and retailing premises. They are often encountered
in domestic properties too.
What
Do They Look Like?
They are small reddish-brown
insects, around 3mm in length. If they are in your home, you will find them in
stored foods in cupboards and larders.
They are closely related to the
common woodworm or furniture beetle and are often mistaken for it. Similar in
appearance, the problem with mis-diagnosis is that treatment for both pests are
different. Thus, you may treat for woodworm only to find that you still have a
problem after treatment.
What
Are Biscuit Beetles Attracted to?
As the name suggests, Biscuit
Beetles are attracted to flour, biscuits, cake mixes, cereals, spices and soup
powders. However, they are a hardy pest and can survive on poisonous substances
such as strychnine, belladonna and aconite, which is why the American’s call it
the Drugstore Beetle.
This beetle has also been known
to penetrate tin foil and lead, and eaten their way through a shelf of books
too.
The
Lifecycle
Their larvae, which is white, is
very small, difficult to see but when they hatch, they are quite active. They
feed and grow for around two months, depending on the temperature. The larvae
pupate into cocoons, usually within a food material such as a batch of flour.
The adults hatch around two week
later and this is where the confusion between this beetle and the woodworm
occurs, as the emerging adult leaves small holes and frass in the material,
much like the woodworm leaves in wood.
As soon as they emerge, the
adults mate. Adult Biscuit Beetles can fly but do not feed. Their life cycle is
short, living four weeks at the most.
How
to get Rid of Biscuit Beetles
You may need the help of a
professional pest controller as the source of the problem will need to be
located. It is usually a food source, such as a batch of flour. Throw the
infested food and make sure you wash containers, shelving and cupboard
thoroughly to be rid of eggs.
These beetles can often find
their way into the home through old birds’ nest in eaves and in gutters etc.
thus, if you keep finding a new infestation, a pest controller may be needed to empty
nests and so on from your property.
The Biscuit Beetle in not
dangerous or hazardous and, in most cases, is simply a nuisance that leads to
food wastage.
Although common, it is not usual
for a home to be infested with them time and again. If you think there is a
bigger problem to deal with, please call us.