Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium Confusum)

Features/Biology

These beetle are reddish brown in colour and attack milled grain products such as flour and cereals. An infestation is often caused from contaminated flour products arriving into your premises i.e. Where either the eggs or the beetles themselves are already living in products when they arrive. As the life cycle is between 2 – 4 months, a considerable population may have built up before an infestation is discovered, especially as due to their small size, they can hide away in cracks and crevices in furniture without being spotted. Adult females can survive up to 2 years, which further increases the population problem.

Recommended Treatment

To control an infestation requires that all contaminated food is destroyed, and the infested area is thoroughly cleaned. Finally , two treatments with an insecticide spaced two weeks apart, is necessary to bring the infestation under control.