Drugstore beetles are also known as the bread or biscuit beetle and look like the cigarette beetles. Years ago, drugstore beetles used to be major pest concern in pharmacies, feeding on herbs used in medicines. Omnivorous eaters, they mainly feeds on cereal, flour, breads, cookies, seeds, grains, pet foods, spices, red pepper, flour, almost any food that they can find. When their normal source of food is unavailable they will feed on books, book bindings, wool, fur, leather, carpets, museum specimens, hair, and even drugs, hence their common name. Known to even bore through wooden objects, these beetles can penetrate through tin, aluminum foil, and lead sheets, making stored foods totally vulnerable. The drugstore beetle is an expert flier and attracted to light, making home invasions both possible and likely. The feces and frass they produce or leave behind may irritate the mouth, throat, and stomach if ingested. Appropriate insecticides can be used to irradiate drugstore beetle infestations.
