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Drugstore beetle

Stegobium paniceum
Also called bread beetle, biscuit beetle, pantry beetle

Drugstore beetles do not bite or sting; they are a pantry pest that ruins dry foods, spices and pet food.

Drugstore beetle, photo 1
Photo: jeanpaulboerekamps, CC0, via iNaturalist
Sizeabout 2–3.5 mm (1/10 to 1/8 inch) long
Where in the housePantry, kitchen, garage, attic, windows and walls
WhenYear-round indoors; adults are often noticed on windows and counters in warm months.

Check these features

  1. Tiny, plain reddish-brown beetle shaped like a short cylinder
  2. Head tucked under a hood-like shield, so it is hard to see from above
  3. Fine lengthwise grooves (rows of tiny pits) on the wing covers
  4. Antennae end in three longer, slightly enlarged segments
  5. Tiny round holes in food packages and dusty powder in infested food

Bites and stings

Does not bite people.

What to do

  1. Find the source: check flour, cereal, pasta, spices (especially red pepper and paprika), tea, dried pet food, birdseed, potpourri and craft items with dried beans or seeds.
  2. Throw out infested food sealed in a plastic bag in the outdoor trash, and check every other dry package nearby.
  3. Vacuum shelves, cracks and corners, then wipe them down before restocking.
  4. Freeze items you want to keep and suspect are lightly infested at 0 °F (-18 °C) for about a week to kill all stages.
  5. If beetles keep appearing after cleanup, look beyond the kitchen: garage pet food, attic or wall rodent caches, and old rodent bait.

Look-alikes

Cigarette beetleThe cigarette beetle is rounder and more humpbacked, with smooth wing covers and saw-toothed antennae, while the drugstore beetle has grooved wing covers and a three-segment club at the antenna tips.
Black carpet beetleBlack carpet beetles are shiny black with no grooves, and their hairy, tailed larvae are found in fabric as well as food.
Red flour beetleFlour beetles are flatter and longer with the head visible from above, not humped with the head hidden.

Why it came inside

It lives and breeds inside stored dry goods such as flour, cereal, spices, dried pet food, birdseed, dried flowers and even medicines. It usually arrives in an infested package or breeds in forgotten food, rodent caches or old rodent bait in walls or attics; adults fly toward windows.

Keep it out

  • Store dry foods, spices and pet food in sealed glass, metal or heavy plastic containers.
  • Buy seldom-used foods in small amounts and use older packages first.
  • Clean up spilled flour, crumbs and pet food promptly.
  • Check new packages for holes or live beetles before putting them away.

What helps

Links go to Amazon search results so you can compare current options. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Always follow the product label.

Airtight pantry containers

Glass or thick plastic containers with tight lids keep pantry pests out of flour, cereal, rice and pet food.

See options on Amazon
Vacuum with a hose

Lets you remove bugs, webs and egg sacs without touching them. Empty the bag or canister outside right away.

See options on Amazon
Sticky traps

Flat glue traps set along walls and in corners show what is moving through and where. Place them where pets and children can't reach.

See options on Amazon

Sources

  1. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Urban & Structural Entomology)
  2. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS)
  3. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension
  4. Oklahoma State University Extension
  5. Virginia Cooperative Extension
  6. Penn State Extension

Checked October 18, 2026. Rating backed by 3 sources. How we rate danger.