Drugstore Beetle
Both beetles are cylindrical, approximately 1/10” long, are a uniform brown to reddish brown, and have longitudinal rows of fine hairs on their elytra (wing covers). Drugstore beetles are similar in appearance to the cigarette beetle; however, the antennae of the cigarette beetle are serrated (resemble teeth on a saw) while the antennae of the drugstore beetle are not. Also, the elytra of the drugstore beetle have rows of pits giving them a lined appearance while the elytra of the cigarette beetle are smooth.
Habits
Drugstore beetles are worldwide in distribution, but are more abundant in warmer regions or in heated structures in temperate climates. The drugstore beetle will attack such a wide variety of foods and material that one entomologist stated that they “eat anything except cast iron.”Adult female drugstore beetles lay eggs singly in foodstuffs such as, flour, meal, breakfast foods, bread, books, etc. The larval period ranges from four to five months and the complete life cycle requires seven months. The cigarette beetle can be found worldwide especially wherever dried tobacco in the form of leaves, cigars, cigarettes, or chewing tobacco is stored. Adults are strong fliers, most active at dusk and the adults do not feed but will drink liquids. Cigarette beetle adult females will lay 10 to 100 eggs in foodstuffs such as tobacco, flour, dried fruit, cereal, cocoa, herbs, pet food, etc. The larval period ranges from five to ten weeks and the complete life cycle is 70 to 90 days.
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