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
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Adult - Dorsal View
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Antennae
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Head front view
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Larvae
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Damaged coriander seeds
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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.