Scientific Name: Stegobium paniceum (Linnaeus)

Common Name: Drugstore beetle 

Synonyms

Anobium paniceum

Taxonomic Position

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Anobiidae

Genus: Stegobium

Species: Stegobium paniceum

Host Range

It attacks on high-value commodities such as spices and packaged foods.

Spices - Coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, mace, nutmeg etc.

Packaged food – Biscuits, breads, cookies, chocolates, sweets etc.

Museum and Herbarium specimens

Pest Destructive Stage

Primary as well as secondary pest

Larvae – internal feeders

Adult – short lived, do not feed on commodity

Damage Symptoms

Larvae burrow into the stored products leaving irregular holes and galleries. Infested material becomes contaminated with pupal cocoons and the dead bodies of short lived adults.

Identification features

Adults 

• Adults can be up to 2.25-3.5 mm in length and reddish to uniform brown.
• The head of the adult is tucked underneath the pronotum and lacks a median ocellus.
• Antennae are capitate with the apical three segments forming a loose, elongated club.
• The elytra bear regular punctate striae.
• Longitudinal rows of fine hairs present on elytra.  
• The tarsal formula is 5-5-5.

Similar Species

Drug store beetle is similar in appearance to the cigarette beetle, however, two morphological characteristic features can be used to differentiate them.

Antennae

S. paniceum - capitate

L. serricorne - serrate

Elytra

S. paniceum - longitudinal striae present on elytra

L. serricorne - elytra smooth, without striae

Detection methods

Devices such as grain triers (grain probes) and pitfall probe traps can give good indications of the presence of pests. In processing and warehouse facilities, ultraviolet light traps with sticky paper can be very effective in monitoring populations of S. paniceum.