Khapra Beetle (Trogoderma granarium)
Biology: The Khapra beetle has an oval form and grows to a length of up to 3 mm, whereby the males are somewhat smaller than the females. The beetles are dark brown, covered with fine hairs and have pale yellow and reddish brown bands across the wing cases. The typically hairy larvae are yellow-brown and can be up to 5 mm long. A group of setae emerge from the posterior end of the larva. The animals are highly thermophilic, but they can also lapse into a state of rest or torpor (diapause) to survive unfavorable conditions in the long run. The adult beetles do not feed, but the larvae have a very broad nutritional spectrum and live on all kinds of plant and animal products.
Damage: This beetle species is originally from India, has now been inadvertently imported into many countries and is one of the most dangerous quarantine pests of all. Damage to stored goods results from larval feeding. Their broad nutritional spectrum includes, among other things, cereal grains, grain