Confused Flour Beetle

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Confused Flour Beetle

      1. Confused Flour Beetle

      General Description

      ·  The adult is 3-4 mm long and 1-1.2 mm wide.  Oval in shape. Its color is reddish brown.

      ·  Egg: very small, flattened, oval ,and white in color.

      · The larva is white-tinged with yellow, and the upper surface of the body segments is dark in color and covered with yellow hairs. The larva is cylindrical in body shape.  The fully developed larva is about 6.5 mm long.

      ·  The pupa is white tending to yellow. It is about 4 mm long.

       

      Credit: Sarefo

       

      Life Cycle and Common Characteristics

      • The female lays 350-450 eggs on stored foodstuffs during her lifetime.
      • The incubation period for eggs ranges from 5-25 days, depending on the temperature.
      • The duration of the larval stage is 33 days.
      • The duration of the pupal stage is from 6-20 days.
      • The adult insect lives from 170-200 days.
      • The insect has 4-5 overlapping generations per year.

       

      Damage and Economic Implications

      • The insects is found on stored foodstuffs such as wheat, wheat, and corn flour, as well as dates that are packed in warehouses.
      • It does not cause economic damage.