Grain Weevil

Appearance

Brown, very flat, narrow oval shape; 1/10" long.

Habitat

Grain weevils will attack packages of cereal, flour, rice, oats, pet foods, chocolate, pasta and other similar packages goods. They are found in pantries, food processing areas, warehouses and grocery stores. They crawl into packaging to eat, live and reproduce. Large populations can develop in short periods, forcing adults to leave infested foods seeking new food sources. Infestations can quickly spread to every nearby packaged food. The grain weevil cannot fly, but the closely-related merchant grain beetle can.

Diet

Cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate, among other processed or packaged foods.

Grain weevil control

Discard all infested packages. Clean spilled grain and infested cabinet areas using a vacuum followed by soapy water. Store all dried food goods in zippered plastic bags, or glass or plastic containers with a tight lid to limit spreading. Consider storing cereals and similar foods in the refrigerator to limit stored pantry pest problems.