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Red flour beetle

Red flour beetle

Tribolium castaneum

A species of Tribolium

The red flour beetle attacks stored grain and other food products including flour, cereals, pasta, biscuits, beans, and nuts, causing loss and damage. The United Nations, in a recent post-harvest compendium, estimated that Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum, the confused flour beetle, are "the two most common secondary pests of all plant commodities in store throughout the world."

General Info About Red flour beetle
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Attributes of Red flour beetle
Adult Food Sources
Mealy products, cereals, nuts, seeds, dead insects
Larva Food Source
Wheat flour, grains, dried fruit, yeast, dead insects
Biting/stinging
Not reported
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Defensive attack
Not reported
Venomous
Not reported
Non-poisonous
Not reported
Borer
Not reported
Pollinator
Not reported
Mouthparts Type
Chewing mouthparts
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Life Cycle of Red flour beetle
Egg The red flour beetle begins as an egg, which is usually oviposited in a secure area near food sources. The eggs are minute and may vary in color, but generally, they're white or cream. This stage is solely for development as the embryo morphs into a larva.
Larva After hatching, the red flour beetle enters the larval stage, characterized by several molts as it grows. The larva is wormlike with a hardened exoskeleton, chewing mouthparts, and is primarily focused on feeding to accumulate energy for the next stages of development.
Pupal As it enters the pupal stage, the red flour beetle ceases feeding and may migrate to a suitable pupation site. The pupa appears inactive externally but is a site of intense transformation, where wings and adult structures form encased within a pupal shell.
Adult Emerging from the pupa, the adult red flour beetle's development is marked by the presence of wings and functional reproductive organs. The body is fully formed and hardened, and the adult is mobile, focusing on reproduction and, for some species, feeding.
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Predators of Red flour beetle Larvae
Frogs, toads, birds, jumping spiders, mantises
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Predators of Adult Red flour beetle
Birds, rodents, lizards, spiders, insectivorous mammals
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Scientific Classification of Red flour beetle
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Adult Habitat of Red flour beetle
Rotting and Decaying Matter, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Urban and Suburban Areas
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Habitat Preferences of Red flour beetle Through Different Life Stages
Eggs of red flour beetle are typically found deposited in flour, cereal grains, or other dried food products where the larvae will later feed and grow. The larval stage of red flour beetle, known as the mealworm, is often found in the same rich food sources and can burrow into these materials. Pupae usually remain in the vicinity of larval food sources, tucked away in protected cracks or crevices within the infested area. Adults of red flour beetle are also found in these habitats, as they continue to feed on the same food sources before reproducing and perpetuating the cycle.
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Harmful Effects of Red flour beetle
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Stored Produce Pest

Red flour beetle can cause varying levels of damage from mild to severe. Both adult and larval stages contribute to the deterioration of dry stored products resulting in contamination, loss of aesthetic and commercial value, potential health hazards from their frass, and allergens. Behavioral feeding by red flour beetle makes food unsuitable for consumption and may lead to financial losses in both domestic and commercial settings. The presence of this pest can trigger the need for additional control measures, leading to increased management costs.

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Hurt Plant

Red flour beetle, at both larva and adult stages, infests stored grains, leading to contamination. With its preference for seeds and fruits, it chews through plant tissues, causing either mild or severe damage depending on infestation levels.

More Effects of Red flour beetle

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