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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Bostrichoidea » Death-watch and Spider Beetles (Ptinidae) » Death-watch Beetles (Anobiinae) » Stegobiini » Stegobium » Drugstore Beetle (Stegobium paniceum)
Photo#47462
pancakes, anyone? - Stegobium paniceum
Copyright © 2006 Joyce Gross

pancakes, anyone? - Stegobium paniceum
San Leandro, Alameda County, California, USA
April 8, 2006
I found the source of the drugstore beetles I've been seeing in my house for the last few months: blueberry pancake mix.

Many in this photo are dead, but there were live ones in the mix too, along with larvae.

Maybe these tiny wasps that I'm also seeing everywhere are parasitizing the beetles, because they all seem to be emerging from the same cupboard. At least two wasps were in the blueberry pancake mix with the beetles.
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Contributed by Joyce Gross on 11 April, 2006 - 1:15am
Last updated 5 November, 2016 - 10:07pm

California
I lived in CA for a couple of years and I've never had so much trouble storing food. I had to keep everything sealed and most of my cereals in the refrigerator! I see many more bugs here in NC, but don't seem to have that problem. I was living in the Mojave desert, so maybe it was just a lack of food sources driving them indoors.
… Lynette Elliott, 11 April, 2006 - 6:06am login or register to post comments

 
interesting observation
I don't remember much insect infestation from when I lived in NY, where there are also a lot more insects than in CA, in the summer at least. But I still can't rule out my negligent housecleaning here in CA as being the source of all these insects...

My house and many others in the Bay Area don't have screens in the windows, and when I'm home I often leave the back door open to let the dogs go in and out. This allows for insects to have easier access to the house also. However, most of the time it's not a problem -- otherwise there would be screens. (I do make a little more effort to keep out insects during mosquito season now that West Nile virus is here.)

On the other hand don't these pests usually get into the house via some other store-bought food? Maybe we just have more of them in our stores here. :)
… Joyce Gross, 11 April, 2006 - 2:48pm login or register to post comments

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