Drugstore beetle
| Drugstore beetle | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Family: | Ptinidae |
| Subfamily: | Anobiinae |
| Tribe: | Stegobiini |
| Genus: | Stegobium Motschulsky, 1860 |
| Species: | S. paniceum |
| Binomial name | |
| Stegobium paniceum | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum), also known as the bread beetle, biscuit beetle, and misnamed as the biscuit weevil (despite not being a weevil), is a small brown beetle that infests a wide variety of dried plant products, where it is among the most common non-weevils. It is the only living member of the genus Stegobium. It belongs to the family Ptinidae, which also includes the deathwatch beetle, furniture beetle and cigarette beetle. A notable characteristic of this species is the symbiotic relationship the beetles have with a yeast-like fungus which is transmitted from female to larvae through the oviduct.
The drugstore beetle is distributed worldwide with higher prevalence in warmer climates. It is commonly confused with the cigarette beetle, as they have a similar size and coloring. Adults possess antennae ending in 3-segmented clubs, while cigarette beetles have serrated (saw-like) antennae. Their bodies are lined with grooves running longitudinally along the elytra, whereas the cigarette beetle is smooth.