How to identify and get rid of sawtoothed grain beetle

Watching your pantry become invaded by tiny little beetles is incredibly frustrating, and not knowing what to do about it is even worse.

Sawtoothed grain beetles are notorious for invading stored foods, slipping through tiny cracks in packaging, and leaving you with damaged goods.

They lay their eggs in stored food products, where the larvae hatch and start feeding. Before you know it, you’ve got a pantry full of unwanted guests. Both the adults and the larvae can make a mess of grains, flour, nuts, and seeds.

Sawtoothed grain beetles are best known for the saw-like edges on the middle of their body. They also have a flat, narrow body that helps them slip into cracks and crevices in food packaging. These beetles are most often found in stored grains and dry goods like flour, cereal, and pasta. If you notice tiny brown beetles crawling in your pantry or see small holes in food packaging, you might be dealing with a sawtooth grain beetle infestation. Other signs include damaged food products and fine dust from their feeding activities.

How big are sawtoothed grain beetles

Sawtooth grain beetles are tiny, typically about 1/10 of an inch long.

What other pest looks like a sawtoothed grain beetle?

Sawtooth grain beetles can be mistaken for drugstore beetles or cigarette beetles, but those have a more rounded body and lack the distinctive saw-like teeth on their thorax. Chinch bugs have a similar body shape to sawtoothed grain beetles.

They’re found throughout the United States, particularly in areas where dry goods are stored. You’ll find them in your pantry, cupboards, and anywhere dry foods like grains, cereals, and nuts are stored. They don’t usually infest outdoor areas.

Sawtoothed grain beetles usually hitch a ride on stored food products and then have a feast inside your pantry. They don’t typically invade your home looking for their next meal. That’s why it’s important to check all your food and look for any signs of infestation. Anything left unchecked could blow up into a major problem.

Here are a few ways you can prevent that from happening:

• Inspect and discard infested products: Carefully check all dry goods in your pantry and discard any that show signs of infestation.
• Store food properly: Keep dry goods in airtight containers to prevent beetles from accessing them.
• Clean your pantry: Thoroughly clean your pantry shelves, including cracks and crevices, to remove any lingering beetles or eggs.
• Freeze: For food items you suspect might be infested but aren’t ready to throw away, place them in the freezer for at least a week to kill any beetles or larvae.