Saw-toothed Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis)
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Pheromone Traps
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Description
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Adults: Small, 2.5 mm (0.098 inches) long, and reddish brown. Beetles have 6 teeth on both sides of the thorax. Looking at the head of saw-toothed grain beetles, the segment behind the eye is close in length to the length of the eye where, in the similar looking merchant grain beetle, that segment in noticeably smaller. Also, the eyes of the two species are different sized: relatively smaller in saw-toothed and larger in merchant grain beetle.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Eggs: Eggs are not readily visible without microscopic examination.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Larvae: Larvae are 3-4 mm (0.14 inches) long, white to yellowish in color, and slightly flat. The last abdominal segment does not end in a prominent point like flour beetles.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Pupae: Pupae are similar in size to the larvae. The pupal chamber is usually attached to a food item and is constructed of food particles.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Life Cycle
Female grain beetles will deposit 50-300 eggs in food during a 6-month -3 year life span. Eggs hatch in 5-12 days, and the larvae can mature within 35 days or if 50 days depending on temperature. These insects are very good at crawling on any surface including glass, and steel. Despite their size, they can roam some distance from infested food products.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Damage & Detection
Saw-toothed grain beetles can invade many types of packaging found in stores and pantries. They do not penetrate packaging but will use their small size to enter even minor packaging imperfections. Their presence is usually found after opening a package and finding dark beetles in light colored products like rice and flour. Both adults and larvae can feed on dry food products. They do not attack intact grains but will feed on damaged grains or powdered food products.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Facts
Other similar species include merchant grain beetle (Oryzaephilus mercator) and foreign grain beetle (Ahasverus advena)
Other common names include narrow grain beetle, and serrated grain beetle
Saw-toothed grain beetles do not fly, but their cousins the merchant grain beetle (Oryzaephilus mercator) do.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Monitoring Tips & Tricks
Saw-toothed Grain Beetle Monitoring Guidelines
Lure
PANTRY PATROL Pheromone /oil dispenser. Contains grain-based food attractants that are effective for 12 weeks. While this product contains pheromones of other insects, there are no pheromones for grain beetles in this product.
STORED PRODUCT BEETLE LURES are food bait and pheromone lures that was specifically designed to make the Pantry Patrol gel into a tablet form. There are no pheromones for grain beetles in this product.
ALL BEETLE TRAP READY-TO-USE TRAY is a preloaded accessory of the ALL BEETLE TRAP that contains either the PANTRY PATROL Pheromone/oil dispenser or the STORED PRODUCT BEETLE LURE and glueboard.
Lure Storage
Keep unopened PANTRY PATROL pheromone /oil dispensers, READY-TO-USE TRAYS, and STORED PRODUCT BEETLE LURES in cool storage for 12 months or in refrigeration for up to 24 months before using or discarding.
Trap Designs Used with Lure
ALL BEETLE TRAP consists of three parts: A clear lid, blue base, and snap in tray. This device can be paired with many different types of attractants available by Insects Limited depending on the insect you are monitoring.
PANTRY PATROL “CORNER” pitfall traps contain a triangular pit to receive a full dispenser of pheromone /oil. Dust cover is incorporated into cardboard packaging.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Pheromone Traps
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Pheromone Trap Placement & Use
Trap Placement Techniques
Pheromone traps can be placed year-round but are especially recommended when temperatures exceed 12.5°C (55°F). Floor pheromone traps like the All Beetle Trap and Flat Trap are effective at capturing saw-toothed grain beetles. In areas such as a pantry or home, place one or two pheromone traps per room.
In commercial areas such as warehouses or retail stores, place pheromone traps 2–5 m (5–15 feet) apart to determine the presence or absence of Saw-toothed grain beetles. Keep pheromone traps 7.5 m (25 feet) away from exterior doors. Saw-toothed grain beetle pheromone traps are best utilized in areas that store dried goods such as food, grains, seeds, nuts, animal feed, or pet food.
Trap and Lure Maintenance
Replace traps when glue is filled with insects or becomes dusty. Replace pheromone lures every 90 days. Replace all pheromone lures in a location at the same time. Do not stagger lure replacement over several weeks. Record date and number of catches to identify trending information.
What to know about the Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Behavior
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle FAQs
What do saw-toothed grain beetles look like?
Adults are small, 2.5 mm (0.9 inches) long, and reddish brown. Their low profile allows them to easily enter many types of prepackaged food. Beetles have 6 teeth on both sides of the thorax.
Looking at the head of the Saw-toothed grain beetles, the segment behind the eye is the same size as the eye. Merchant grain beetles are similar in appearance but the segment behind the eye is distinctly smaller. Also, the eyes of the two species are different sized: relatively smaller in saw-toothed and larger in merchant grain beetle.
Eggs are not readily visible without microscopic examination. Larvae are 3-4 mm (0.14 inches) long, white to yellowish in color, and slightly flat. The last abdominal segment does not end in a prominent point like flour beetles.
How to get rid of saw-toothed grain beetles?
The use of traps for saw-toothed grain beetles can indicate their presence as well as where the beetles are coming from. A visual inspection of dried pet food or other dried food goods in the vicinity of the traps containing the most beetles can reveal specific items containing larvae, pupae and adult beetles.
Once an infestation is found, the infested materials should be sealed up and discarded or treated to kill the warehouse beetles. Treatment options for saw-toothed grain beetles includes freezing for one week, such as with these insect freezer treatment bags, or having a certified pest management specialist perform an anoxic treatment or a gas fumigation on the infested materials.
What do saw-toothed grain beetles eat?
Saw-toothed grain beetles can eat a very wide range of dried food goods. They are commonly found in packaged food including dried pet foods, dried food mixes, cereals, grains, and in many other types of dried food goods.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle Pheromone Traps
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