Red flour beetle
Tribolium castaneum
The adult is a small reddish-brown beetle found in mills, warehouses, grain stores, and household pantries. It walks through flour and stored cereals, feeding on flour, damaged grain, and fine organic debris. When disturbed, it can release quinone-rich defensive chemicals with a sharp, unpleasant odor. Adults can disperse through stored products and may fly in warm conditions, helping infestations spread between food sources.
- Type
- Venom / Shell
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Red flour beetle