Nuisance and household pests-Flour beetle and mealworm

Includes

Confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum)
Red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum)

Pest description and damage Small, dark to light brown or reddish brown, hard-shelled insects about 0.125 inch long. They breed and feed in flour, cereals, and condiments.

Management

Thoroughly clean shelves and storage bins. Inspect all food containers and discard those found to be infested. Dry pet food, nuts, and dried fruit often are infested. Store food only in containers that can be closed tightly. Do not store food items in thin plastic bags such as supermarket produce bags. Do not store food longer than 2 months unless frozen.