Cigarette Beetle

Lasioderma serricorne

Cigarette beetle

Cigarette beetle (Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org)

Cigarette beetle damage

Cigarette beetles (Brian Little, The University of Georgia, Bugwood.org)

Cigarette beetles in grain

Cigarette beetle larva (Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org)

Identification

  • 1/8 inch long
  • shiny light brown to reddish brown
  • head barely visible or not visible from above
  • strong fliers
  • similar to drugstore beetle, but is wider and has serrated antennae (not clubbed) and has no rows of pits on wing covers
  • larvae: c-shaped, white and hairy

Nesting Habits

  • adults hide in crevices indoors during the winter
  • can infest stored food products

Diet

  • variety of foods including grains, peanuts, grains, seeds, processed grain products, dried fruits and vegetables
  • prefer spices, tobacco products and dry pet food
  • rodent baits, dried flowers, dead rodents and insects

Significance

  • damage books and furniture
  • infest a variety of food sources
  • may attack furniture stuffing, silk and animal materials such as leather

IPM Recommendations

  • Locate and dispose of infested food items.
  • Inspect all incoming food items for pests.
  • Monitor with pheromone traps. 
  • Clean up all spilled food products and food storage areas.
  • Store all susceptible food items in pest-proof containers.
  • Keep food in regular rotation.
  • Change insect monitors and service mouse traps and multi-catch traps on a regular basis.

Additional Resources

IPM for Fabric and Pantry Pests: Integrated Pest Management in Sensitive Environments (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)