Drugstore Beetle vs Cigarette Beetle
Drugstore Beetles and cigarette beetles are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. A drugstore beetle has oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves, while a cigarette beetle has rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers.
Side-by-side comparison
| Drugstore Beetle | Cigarette Beetle | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Beetles | Beetles |
| Scientific name | Stegobium paniceum | Lasioderma serricorne |
| Size | 2–3.5 mm | 2–3 mm |
| Colors | Brown and Red | Brown and Red |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | Yes | Yes |
| Bites or stings | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves | Rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers |
Key differences
- Signature feature: Drugstore Beetles: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves. Cigarette Beetles: rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers.
How to identify drugstore beetles
A small, reddish-brown pantry beetle with rows of fine grooves along its wing covers. It infests dried foods, spices, pet food, and even books and medicines.
- Oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves
- Head tucked down and hidden when seen from above
- Antennae end in a loose three-segment club
How to identify cigarette beetles
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.
- Rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers
- Serrated, saw-like antennae
- Head bent downward so it looks hooded
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Drugstore beetles don't bite or spread disease, but they ruin stored food. Cigarette beetles do not bite; they contaminate and damage stored products.
Where and when you'll see each
Drugstore Beetles turn up in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen, mostly in spring, summer, fall and winter. Cigarette Beetles turn up in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen, mostly in spring, summer, fall and winter.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Drugstore Beetles: Find and throw out the infested package, then check every dry good nearby. Read the full removal guide for more.
Cigarette Beetles: Locate the source product, often spices, paprika or pet food. Read the full removal guide for more.
Biology: 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between drugstore beetles and cigarette beetles?
Signature feature: Drugstore Beetles: oval, reddish-brown body with lengthwise grooves. Cigarette Beetles: rounded, humped body with smooth, ungrooved wing covers.
Which is bigger, a drugstore beetle or a cigarette beetle?
Drugstore Beetle: 2–3.5 mm. Cigarette Beetle: 2–3 mm.
Do drugstore beetles or cigarette beetles bite?
Drugstore Beetles do not bite. Cigarette Beetles do not bite.
Where are they usually found?
Drugstore Beetles: in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen. Cigarette Beetles: in pantries and stored food and in the kitchen.