(Trogoderma granarium)
Biology:
The khapra beetle, which belongs to the same family (family Dermestidae, bacon beetles) as the bacon beetle and the fur beetle, has an oval shape and grows up to 3 mm long, whereby the males are somewhat smaller than the females. The beetles are dark brown and finely haired with blurred yellow and reddish-brown transverse bands on the elytra. The typically hairy larvae are yellow-brown and grow up to 5 mm long. Arrow hairs can be found between the normal hairs at the rear end of the larvae. The animals are very heat-loving, but can go into a state of rest or rigidity (diapause) and thus survive unfavorable conditions such as lack of food and low temperatures for a long time. The beetles themselves do not feed; the larvae, however, have a very broad food spectrum and live on all kinds of plant and animal products.
Damage:
Originally native to India, the beetle has now been introduced into many countries and is one of the most dangerous quarantine pests. The damage to stored goods is caused by the feeding activity of the larvae. The animals’ wide range of food includes cereals, cereal products, malt, peanuts, pulses, expeller, fish meal and packaging materials.
In addition, the characteristically shaped arrow hairs of the larvae can trigger allergies – as in the case of the woolly flower beetle.
