3 Bugs That Look Like Drugstore Beetles

1. Cigarette Beetle

A tiny, humpbacked, reddish-brown beetle that infests tobacco, spices, dried flowers, cereals and pet food. Adults are strong fliers and are often found near windows.

How it differs:

• Signature feature: Drugstore Beetles: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves. Cigarette Beetles: rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers.

2. Confused Flour Beetle

A flat, slender, reddish-brown beetle common in flour, cake mixes, cereals and other milled foods. Heavy infestations leave a grayish tint and a sharp, unpleasant smell.

How it differs:

• Signature feature: Drugstore Beetles: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves. Confused Flour Beetles: flat, elongated reddish-brown body.

3. Varied Carpet Beetle

A tiny, round beetle mottled with white, brown and yellow scales. The fuzzy, banded larvae chew holes in wool, silk, feathers, leather and stored animal products.

How it differs:

• Color: Drugstore Beetles are brown and red; varied carpet beetles are black, white, yellow and brown.
• Where found: look for drugstore beetles in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen; varied carpet beetles turn up in bedrooms and beds and indoors.
• Signature feature: Drugstore Beetles: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves. Varied Carpet Beetles: very small, round beetle with a mottled scale pattern.

Side-by-side comparison

Quick identification checklist

1. Count the legs. Drugstore Beetles have 6 legs.
2. Check for wings. Drugstore Beetles have wings.
3. Measure it. Drugstore Beetles are 2–3.5 mm (up to about 0.14 in).
4. Look for the signature feature: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves.
5. Note where you found it. Drugstore Beetles are usually in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen.

When you'll see drugstore beetles

Drugstore Beetles are most active in spring, summer, fall and winter. In spring, overwintering adults become active and many species lay their first eggs. Summer heat speeds up development, so populations can grow quickly. In fall, many bugs look for shelter, and some move toward or into buildings. In winter, activity continues mainly indoors in heated spaces.

Typical places to check: pantry or stored food and kitchen.

About beetles

The drugstore beetle is one of the beetles. Beetles go through complete metamorphosis: egg, larva (grub), pupa and adult. The larval stage often does the most feeding and damage, and it can last from a few weeks to several years depending on the species. Adults protect their flight wings under hard wing covers called elytra, which is why most beetles look armored and meet in a neat line down the back.

Look closely at larvae as well as adults. Grubs in soil, fuzzy larvae in closets and small worms in flour are all beetle larvae, and finding them tells you where the problem is centered.

Are drugstore beetles or their lookalikes dangerous?

• Drugstore Beetle: Drugstore beetles don't bite or spread disease, but they ruin stored food.
• Cigarette Beetle: Cigarette beetles do not bite; they contaminate and damage stored products.
• Confused Flour Beetle: They don't bite or sting; infested flour tastes and smells bad.
• Varied Carpet Beetle: Carpet beetles don't bite, but larval hairs can cause itchy skin rashes in some people.

Frequently asked questions