Pest Library
Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
Sawtoothed grain beetles are very small, flat, slender brown beetles named for the six tooth-like projections along each side of the thorax. They infest cereal, flour, dried fruit, pet food and similar dry goods and can spread from one package to several across a pantry.
Profile
- Scientific name
- Oryzaephilus surinamensis
- Identification
- Flat, narrow, dark reddish-brown body with saw-toothed thorax edges visible under magnification.
- Typical size
- About 1/10 inch (2.5-3 mm).
- Behavior
- Cannot fly effectively but crawls readily into other packages through folds and seams.
- Habitat
- Pantry shelving, package seams, shelf cracks, bulk storage and retail dry-goods areas.
- Diet
- Grain products, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, pet food and processed flour.
- Lifecycle
- Egg to adult in roughly three to ten weeks depending on temperature; adults are long-lived.
- Why it matters
- A stored-product and food-quality issue, not a disease concern.
- DIY considerations
- Cleaning out cracks matters as much as removing the food; beetles persist in shelving.
- Professional considerations
- Service traces the source, inspects surrounding storage, treats cracks and voids where appropriate and monitors to verify elimination.
Signs of activity
- Small beetles crawling in cereal, flour or pet food
- Beetles in shelf cracks and corners after packages are removed
- Dusty, off-smelling dry goods
Prevention
- Discard infested product and vacuum shelving thoroughly
- Transfer dry goods into airtight hard containers
- Rotate stock and avoid long-term bulk storage
- Wipe down shelf tracks and support holes where beetles hide
Sources
Related information
Seeing sawtoothed grain beetle at your property?
Book online or request service through our secure customer portal. Tell us what you are seeing and where the property is located.