Habitat

World-wide distribution for both species. Almost always associated with stored food commodities including animal feeds and flour. Populations are established in ships holds, storage silos, flour mills, bakeries and pantries around the globe. Microhabitats in large industrial situations include machines and process equipment where build up of old food substrates allow completion of life cycle.

Biology

Complete metamorphosis life cycle. Females lay up to 450 eggs over their lives which may be as long as 18 months depending upon conditions. Life cycle may be completed in 7 weeks at 25�c but in warmer conditions such as those in bakeries, this may be reduced to 3 weeks. This high breeding potential can lead to very large infestations in suitable conditions.

Tribolium Sp

Insecta     Coleoptera    Tenebrionidae

Image Copyright - Aventis Environmental Science 1964. Reproduced with kind permission of Aventis Environmental Science.

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Pest Status

A highly significant, widely distributed and successful primary pest in the milling industry. Although it will infest stored grain, it tends to be as a secondary pest which prefers to colonise materials already attacked by primary grain pests. Economic loss due to this insect alone is high, due to it's tendency to taint food substrates with secretions.

Control

Good hygiene practice and harbourage denial are essential in controlling infestations of flour beetles. Monitoring systems are available and can be used to target the use of insecticidal treatments. Quarantine of inbound commodities is recommended. Fumigation where necessary and atmosphere and / or temperature control may also be applicable options.