(Oryzaephilus surinamensis)
Biology:
The very lively, up to 3 mm long, narrow, flattened beetle is gray-brown to rust-brown. The pronotum has two broad, flat longitudinal furrows and six pointed denticles on both sides.
The beetles feed on cereal grains, flour, pasta, baked goods and other carbohydrate-rich foods, but also infest oily seeds, nuts, dried fruit, etc.
The females lay their eggs loosely between these food substrates. After larval development, the beetle larvae pupate freely or in a cocoon made of glued parts of the food substrate. Mass reproduction can occur very quickly in warm grain stores. Both larvae and beetles of Oryzaephilus surinamensis feed primarily on broken grain or grain that has already been damaged by other pests, such as the grain weevil.
It is not possible to overwinter the animals outdoors.
Damage:
Alongside the grain weevil, the cereal weevil is the most important pest of cereals and also causes major problems in the food industry. Here it is very much feared as it can get everywhere due to its small size and extraordinary mobility: the larvae of the grain weevil are able to penetrate even the smallest openings in packaged goods and are therefore often carried away in food packaging.
It is feared in grain stores because of its rapid and mass reproduction. Damage is caused by feeding on the nutrient substrates and the resulting reduction in quality due to warming or higher humidity with subsequent mold development.
