• Latin Name: Oryzaephilus surinamensis
  • Latin Family Name: Silvanidae
  • Common Name: Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
  • Other Names: Malt beetle

Origin:
Possibly unknown, as this beetle has been found worldwide for many centuries.

Biology:
The tiny grain beetles are members of a family of beetles that often are found under the loose bark of logs, where they are predators on other, smaller arthropods. The grain beetles sometimes are placed into a separate family called the Silvanidae, or “flat grain beetles”. These are all extremely flattened, narrow beetles which are capable of entering packages of food through the smallest of openings. They will feed on the wide range of vegetable-based food products, including rodent baits, but are not capable of attacking whole, unprocessed grains that are in good condition. The insects are relatively inactive in cool weather, and begin egg laying in the spring, the female laying up to 285 eggs. The period from egg to adult varies, but under optimal conditions of warmth and humidity it can be completed in about 1 month. The adult of this species appears to be unable to fly, and they are extremely long-lived, with one record indicating an adult beetle survived for over 3 years.

Identification:
The saw-toothed grain beetle is named for the row of saw-like projections along each side of the prothorax. It is identical to the Merchant Grain Beetle except for one characteristic. On the STGB the space between the eye and the back of the head is more than half the diameter of the eye, whereas on the MGB that space is very narrow, much less than half the diameter of the eye. Coloration ranges from light to dark brown, length is only about 2.5 mm, and it is a long, narrow beetle that is flattened from top to bottom.

Characteristics Important to Control:
Good stock rotation and proper storage of food products in cool, dry conditions will inhibit the ability of this beetle to breed quickly. Cleanup of spilled material and debris in general also reduces the attraction of a structure, and proper maintenance of rodent baits, or the use only of paraffin block baits, eliminates this source as food for the beetles.