Sawtooth grain beetle

Photo by: Ken Gray

For successful pest management, use IPM (Integrated Pest Management).

Biology
The sawtoothed grain beetle and its look-alike relative, the merchant grain beetle, are slender, flattened, reddish-brown beetles that measure about 1/8 inch in length. They exhibit saw-like teeth along the edge of the prothorax (shoulder area). These beetles feed on a wide variety of foods. While some come in from outdoors, most come in on purchased food, particularly dry pet food. These beetles can enter a home in large and disturbing numbers to feed on food, such as bird seed or pet food, which mice or other rodents have stored in wall voids.

Management Options

Don’t store excess foodstuffs, such as grains, cereals, baking mixes, etc., for long periods of time.
If grain beetles become apparent, locate the food source immediately and get rid of it. Then do a thorough inspection of all other stored foods.
Keep dry pet foods away from the general pantry area and in a tightly-sealed container.
Pests can get into most cardboard packaging, so store foodstuffs in tightly-sealed containers if they are not going to be used in the near future.

Oregon Pestsense web site created by Carrie Foss, Urban IPM, Fact sheets developed by Becky Hines, Uriban Igm, and Art Antonelli, Extension Entomology, WSU Puyallup
Pesticide information review provided by Catherine Daniels, Washington State Pest Management Resource Service
Database programs developed for Oregon Pestsense by Jim Boyer , Computing and Web Resources, ECES, WSU Pullman
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