Beetles are fabric damaging, food infesting and wood destroying pests.

Carpet beetles are fabric damaging pest. 4 carpet beetles species can be meet in Ontario.

Common carpet beetle:

Adult – 3mm long, black color with orange and white scales.

Larva – oval, reddish brown color.

Common carpet beetles lay around 90 eggs in clothing or furniture, which hatch in 10 days. The larva stage lasts 10 to 20 months. Adults live around 2 months. The common carpet beetle’s total life cycle is around 420 days.

Only the larva of the common carpet beetle can cause damage. They feed on feather, hair, fur, and woolen materials. They can be seen around windows, and other areas that get sunlight. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.

Black carpet beetle:

Adult – 4mm long, black color. 

Larvae – 6mm long, long hair at the end of body, reddish brown color.

Lay 50 eggs in clothing or furniture, which hatch in 10 days. The Larva stage lasts 10 to 20 months. Adult black carpet beetles live around 2 months. The total life cycle is around 420 days.

Only the larva of black carpet beetles cause damage. They feed on feather, hair, fur, and woolen materials. They can be found around windows, and other areas that get sunlight. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.

 Varied carpet beetle:

Adult – 2 mm long, black color with brown and yellow scales.

Larva – oval hairy body, three long hairs at the end of body.

The varied carpet beetles lay around 70 eggs in clothing or furniture, which hatch in 10 days. The larvae last 10 to 20 months. Adults live around 2 months. The total life cycle is around 420 days.

Only the larvae cause damage. They feed on feather, hair, fur, and woolen materials. They can be found around windows, and other areas that receive plenty of sunlight. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers 

 Furniture carpet beetle:

Adults – 5mm long, black color with white and yellow scales.

Larvae – 3mm oval brown hairy body, long hair at the end of body.

The females lay 40 eggs in clothing or furniture, which hatch in 10 days. The larva stage lasts 10 to 20 months. Adult live around 2 months. Total live cycle is 420 days.

Only the larvae can cause damage – they feed on feather, hair, fur, and woolen materials. They can be seen around windows, and other areas that receive plenty of sunlight. Adults feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.

Wood Destroying Beetles

Furniture beetle

The furniture beetle are black and brown in colour. They are 4 to 6 mm long.

The females deposit their eggs on hardwood or softwood, which hatch to larvae in 2 weeks. The larvae then bore into the wood to feed, and create 2-3 mm diameter holes. The furniture beetle emerge from wood as adult beetles, and can go on to re-infest structural pieces of wood.

The larvae digest cellulose. They prefer sapwood and seasoned hardwood. This type of beetle is common in Ontario. The pellets that look like frass are signs of infestation. 

Long Horned beetle

The long horned beetles are black with white spots. They are around 8 mm long.

The female long horned beetles deposit their eggs on fallen trees, which hatch to larvae in 2 weeks. The larvae bore into the wood to feed, and grow into adults in three years. The adult lifespan of the long horned beetle is about 60 days. They emerge from wood as adult beetles, and can go on to re-infest the structural wood.

The larvae digest cellulose. They create oval holes. The long horned beetles prefer sapwood and seasoned hardwood. This type of beetle is common in Ontario. The coarse textured frass tightly packed in holes is a sign of infestation. 

True powder post beetle

The true powder post beetles are brown in colour and are around 7 mm long.

The females lay their eggs in pores on seasoned hardwood or sapwood, which hatch to larvae in 2 weeks. The larvae bore into wood pieces to feed and can spend years inside the wood. They create 2-3 mm diameter holes. They emerge from wood as adult beetles, and can go on to re-infest the structural wood.

The larvae cannot digest cellulose. They prefer sapwood and seasoned hardwood. This type of beetle is common in Ontario. Flour like frass is a sign of infestation. 

False powder post beetle

The false powder post beetles are brown in colour and are around 7 mm long.

The females lay their eggs in pores on seasoned hardwood or sapwood, which hatch to larvae in 2 weeks. The larvae bore into wood pieces to feed and can spend years inside the wood. They create 2-3 mm diameter holes. They emerge from wood as adult beetles, and can go on to re-infest the structural wood.

The damage done by this kind of beetle is caused by the larvae. The Larvae cannot digest cellulose. They prefer sapwood and seasoned hardwood. This type of beetle is common in Ontario. The Coarse powder like frass is a sign of infestation.


Food Infesting Beetles

Rice Weevil

The adult rice weevil are brown in colour with red spots. They are 2 mm long, with oval shaped bodies. The rice weevil are able to fly.

The larvae have a folded body with a distinct head, and are legless.

The female rice weevils produce around 400 eggs during life time. They chew holes into grains to deposit their eggs.  It takes 4 weeks for the hatched eggs to grow into adults. The adult rice weevils live close to 5 months.

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. They prefer whole corn, wheat, and rice. The grain mass and temperature rise are signs of infestation.

 Bean Weevil

Adult bean weevils are brown in colour with linear spots. They are 3mm long and have oval shaped bodies. The bean weevil are able to fly.

The larvae have folded bodies and are legless.

The female bean weevils lay 70 single eggs near beans, which hatch in 10 days. The life cycle of the bean weevils is around 2 months.

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. They prefer whole dried foods. They do not feed on grain. Several larvae can bore into a single bean. Several round holes in beans are the main sign of infestation.        

                                   
Granary Weevil

The adult granary weevils are dark brown in colour. They are 5mm long and have oval shaped bodies. The granary weevil are not able to fly.

The larvae are white in colour with distinct heads. They have folded bodies and are legless.

The female granary weevil produce 150 eggs during an eight-month-long lifespan. They chews holes into grain to deposit their eggs.  It takes 4 weeks for the hatched eggs to turn into adults. Adults live around five months.

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. The granary weevil can attack wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, and sorghum. The rise in grain mass and temperature and increased moisture levels are the main signs of infestation.
 

Black Flour Beetle

The adult black flour beetles are black in colour. They are around 5mm long and have oval shaped bodies. The black flour beetles are able to fly.

The larvae are white and 7mm long.

Female black flour beetles produce around 400 eggs during their two-year long lifespan. Eggs take around two weeks to hatch. 

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. The black flour beetles prefer to feed on damaged grains but they will also attack intact wheat kernels, feeding first on the germ and then the endosperm.  The Nauseous smell, greyish color and mass and temperature rise are signs of infestation.

Red Flour Beetle

The adult red flour beetle are brown in colour. They are 4mm long and have oval shaped bodies. The red flour beetles are able to fly.

The larvae are white in colour and 7 mm long.

The female red flour beetles have a lifespan of two years and produce 400 eggs during that period. The eggs take two weeks to hatch. 

Both the adults and the larvae can cause damage. The red flour beetles prefer to infest damaged grains, but can also attack the intact wheat kernels, feeding first on the germ, and then the endosperm.  Nauseous smell, greyish color, mass and temperature rise are signs of infestation. 

Confused Flour Beetle

The adult confused floor beetles are reddish-brown in colour, and around 4mm long. They are able to fly.

The larvae are white in colour, and are about 7mm long.

The female confused floor beetles have a lifespan of two years, and produce around 300 eggs in that period. The eggs take 10 days to hatch. 

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. The confused flour beetles prefer damaged grains but will also attack intact wheat kernels, feeding first on the germ and then the endosperm.  Nauseous smell, mass and temperature rise are signs of infestation.

Cigarette Beetle

The adult cigarette beetles are brown colored and 3mm long with oval shaped bodies. These beetles are able to fly.

The larvae are hairy and have a distinct head and a folded body, and a pair of legs.

The female cigarette beetles have a lifespan of three weeks and in that period produce around 100 eggs. 

Both adults and larvae can cause damage. The cigarette beetles damage dried leaves, furniture, pepper, ginger, rhubarb, dried insects, dried fish, dried meat, fish meal, rice, figs, yeast and a wide variety of other dried products. Frass is the main sign of infestation.

Larder Beetle

The adults are Dark brown colored and about 9 mm long. The larder beetles are covered with dense hair.

The larvae of the larder beetle are about 15mm long, dark brown coloured, and hairy.

The female larder beetles produce around 100 eggs in a ten-day-period.  

They feeds on dead insects, feathers, dried meats, fish, and cheese.