Red Flour Beetle

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Red Flour Beetle

       

      1. Red Flour Beetle

       

      General Description

      ·  The adult is 3-3.7 mm long and 0.9-1.2 mm wide.

      ·  This insect resembles a flour beetle that is similar or confusing in appearance and color but differs in that the last three or terminal segments of the antennae are enlarged and enlarged suddenly from the previous ones so that the antennae look like a club.

      · The egg is cylindrical in shape and white in color.

      ·  The larva is white with a yellowish tint. When fully grown, they are about 6.5 mm long. The larva is cylindrical in shape, its pectoral legs are growing, and the abdomen ends with two short spines (anal horns) that are brown in color.

      ·  The pupa is naked and lives in the same environment as the larva.

       

      Credit: Udo Schmidt

       

       

      Life Cycle and Common Characteristics

      • The female lays 400-500 eggs on stored foodstuffs during her lifetime.
      • The eggs hatch after 3-32 days.
      • The incubation period for eggs ranges from 10-25 days, depending on the temperature.
      • The larva goes through six larval instars (up to 12, depending on the type of food).
      • The duration of the larval stage is from 33-100 days.
      • The pupal stage lasts from 5-18 days.
      • The adult insect lives from 170-200 days (and may live from 1-1.5 years sometimes).
      • The insect has 4-5 overlapping generations per year.

       

      Damage and Economic Implications

      • The insect infests stored dates, flour, grains, dried fruits, nuts, and other stored foodstuffs.
      • It does not cause economic damage.