Khapra beetle, alternately known as the cabinet beetle, is indigenous to South Asia. Eventually, it became an invasive species worldwide, spreading to Africa, the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and North America. This species’ larvae feed on a lot of food like rice, wheat, barley, and nuts, thus concol3red a serious pest.
Size: 2-3 mm (0.07 – 0.11 inches)
Color: The males are brown or black with markings of reddish-brown on the wings. The female khapra beetle species, on the other hand, have lighter coloration.
Other Characteristic Features: They appear oval with a small head and hairy body.
Upon hatching from the eggs, the larva is 1.6 – 1.8 mm (0.06 – 0.07 inches) long with a hairy tail on its abdomen’s last segment, accounting for a significant part of its length. They have a yellowish-white body and brown head and hairs. As they grow, the color transforms to reddish-brown or golden, with the tail getting shorter. When matured, the larva is 6mm (0.23 inches) and 1.5 mm (0.05 inches) in length and width.
The larva, in its final instar stage, holds the pupa within. It takes about five days for the pupa to mature into an adult.
They are initially milky white, changing to pale yellow when ready to hatch. The cylindrical eggs are rounded on one col3 and pointed at the other, with the latter having spiny projections. The eggs have a length of 0.7 mm, a width of about 0.25 mm, also weighing 0.02 mg.
| Other Names | Cabinet beetle |
| Adult lifespan | 5 – 10 days |
| Duration of larval stage | 4 – 6 weeks, but may extend till 8 years |
| Distribution | Native: Throughout South Asia (India, Srilanka, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Morocco) Invasive: Middle East, Asia, Africa, Mediterranean countries, parts ofNorth America |
| Habitat | Pantries, malt houses, crates, storehouses, grain stacks, and any other place that stores food and grains |
| Common Predators | Mites, and parasitic wasps |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Rice, barley, wheat, and other grain products, alongcol3 oilseeds, walnut, and many other food products Adults: They rarely eat |
They cause huge damage to grains, destroying them within a short span. The larvae feed haphazardly, spoiling the grain and even leaving their skins, broken body parts, and hair within. The young ones eat damaged seeds, while the matured larva consumes whole grains. Larval infestation in stored grains can result in significant weight reduction in the grains, as shown in this study.
One of the various measures used to get rid of the khapra beetle is fumigation (pest control method) using methyl bromide. In India, powdered neem is used in wheat stores for controlling this beetle’s population.
Image Source: detia-degesch.de, tackle.com.ng, graincentral.com, lh3.googleusercontent.com, entomologytoday.org, petfoodindustry.com
Khapra beetle, alternately known as the cabinet beetle, is indigenous to South Asia. Eventually, it became an invasive species worldwide, spreading to Africa, the Middle East, Mediterranean countries, and North America. This species’ larvae feed on a lot of food like rice, wheat, barley, and nuts, thus concol3red a serious pest.
Size: 2-3 mm (0.07 – 0.11 inches)
Color: The males are brown or black with markings of reddish-brown on the wings. The female khapra beetle species, on the other hand, have lighter coloration.
Other Characteristic Features: They appear oval with a small head and hairy body.
Upon hatching from the eggs, the larva is 1.6 – 1.8 mm (0.06 – 0.07 inches) long with a hairy tail on its abdomen’s last segment, accounting for a significant part of its length. They have a yellowish-white body and brown head and hairs. As they grow, the color transforms to reddish-brown or golden, with the tail getting shorter. When matured, the larva is 6mm (0.23 inches) and 1.5 mm (0.05 inches) in length and width.
The larva, in its final instar stage, holds the pupa within. It takes about five days for the pupa to mature into an adult.
They are initially milky white, changing to pale yellow when ready to hatch. The cylindrical eggs are rounded on one col3 and pointed at the other, with the latter having spiny projections. The eggs have a length of 0.7 mm, a width of about 0.25 mm, also weighing 0.02 mg.
| Other Names | Cabinet beetle |
| Adult lifespan | 5 – 10 days |
| Duration of larval stage | 4 – 6 weeks, but may extend till 8 years |
| Distribution | Native: Throughout South Asia (India, Srilanka, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Morocco) Invasive: Middle East, Asia, Africa, Mediterranean countries, parts ofNorth America |
| Habitat | Pantries, malt houses, crates, storehouses, grain stacks, and any other place that stores food and grains |
| Common Predators | Mites, and parasitic wasps |
| Diet of larvae and adults | Larvae: Rice, barley, wheat, and other grain products, alongcol3 oilseeds, walnut, and many other food products Adults: They rarely eat |
They cause huge damage to grains, destroying them within a short span. The larvae feed haphazardly, spoiling the grain and even leaving their skins, broken body parts, and hair within. The young ones eat damaged seeds, while the matured larva consumes whole grains. Larval infestation in stored grains can result in significant weight reduction in the grains, as shown in this study.
One of the various measures used to get rid of the khapra beetle is fumigation (pest control method) using methyl bromide. In India, powdered neem is used in wheat stores for controlling this beetle’s population.
Image Source: detia-degesch.de, tackle.com.ng, graincentral.com, lh3.googleusercontent.com, entomologytoday.org, petfoodindustry.com
