Red flour beetle
| red flour beetle | |
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| Species: | T. castaneum
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| Binomial name | |
| Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797)
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Wikispecies has information related to Tribolium castaneum.
The red flour beetle is a tenebrionid beetle. It is a worldwide stored product pest.
Red flour beetles attack stored grain products (flour, cereals, pasta, biscuits, beans, nuts, etc.) causing loss and damage. They may cause an allergic response but are not known to spread disease and cause no damage to structures or furniture.
The red flour beetle is of Indo-Australian origin and less able to survive outdoors than the closely related species Tribolium confusum. It has, as a consequence, a more southern distribution, though both species are worldwide in heated premises. The adults are long-lived and may live for more than three years.
Appearance
They look exactly like Confused Flour Beetle except with three clubs at the end of their antennae.
References
- Granousky TA. 1997. "Stored Product Pests". In Handbook of Pest Control, 8th Ed. Hedges SA, Moreland D (editors). Mallis Handbook and Technical Training Company.
See also
External links
- Tribolium species are hard to identify. Here are four species side by side. Note that several species of Tribolium may occur in the same infestation.
- Confused and red flour beetles on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site