Drugstore Beetle & Granary Weevil (Stegobium paniceum)
Small reddish-brown beetles (2–3 mm) at the kitchen window? The drugstore beetle lives in symbiosis with yeasts and feeds on hard pasta, fine spices, herbal teas, and pet food.
When dozens of tiny rusty-brown beetles (2–3.5 mm) suddenly fly towards the kitchen window, they are almost always the drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum). Because it closely resembles the wood-destroying common woodworm, many homeowners become unnecessarily alarmed.
How to identify and combat the drugstore beetle:
• Symbiotic superpower: The drugstore beetle harbors specific yeasts (endosymbionts) in its gut that provide it with B vitamins. This allows it to survive in extremely nutrient-poor dry products: chili powder, paprika, turmeric, herbal teas, durum wheat spaghetti, dog biscuits, dried flower wreaths, and even old book bindings!
• Identification: Round, 1 mm exit holes in packaging and fine drilling dust.
• Solution: Check forgotten spice jars, teas, and dry food, dispose of the source, and freeze intact spices for 72 hours at −18 °C.