Sawtoothed Grain Beetle- Pest Fact

• Common name : Sawtoothed grain beetle
• Scientific name : Oryzaephilus surinamensis
• Identification
  

  Characteristics	Specifications
  Size (Adults)	1/8” (2.5-3mm), whole length
  Body shape	Flattened
  General body colour	Brown
  Chewing parts	6 saw-like teeth on each side of prothorax
  Wings	Wings well developed, but not observed in flight.
  Others	Length of temple (region directly behind eye) is greater than half the vertical diameter of eye.

• Habits

  • Causes considerable damage to grains
  • Its flat body form permits access through very small cracks and into poorly sealed packages
  • Adults are not known to fly and are not attracted to light
  • Eats almost anything, this includes cereals, bread, breakfast foods, macaroni, dried fruits, nuts, sugar, chocolate, dried meats, candy bars, drugs, tobacco, and many other products

• Control

  • Inspection
    • Needs to be carried out on all the incoming materials for stored product pests
    • Ensure your premise is in good condition to prevent invasions of stored product pests from outside
    • Good screening is critical, caulking around window and doorframes is necessary, and gaps under exterior doors should be eliminated
    • Carefully examine all susceptible foods to determine all sources of infestation
  • Storage
    • Please store food in tight containers
    • Remove spilled/spoiled food products from storage areas and replace torn or damaged storage containers immediately
  • Disposal
    • Throw away items that are infested by putting them in tightly sealed bags
    • Take the bags outside of the storage area to a trash bin for immediate removal
  • Cleaning and maintenance
    • Empty and clean the storage area and shelves completely with a vacuum cleaner and hot soapy water
    • After a thorough cleaning, spray area with citrus extract, which can repel the pests

• Glossary

  • Prothorax – Area where the first pair of legs is located

  • Caulking – waterproof sealer used in building to prevent leaking