Cigarette beetle
Description
A reddish brown beetle, Lasioderma serricorne, found throughout the world. The cigarette beetle received its name because it is often found in dried tobacco. The larvae also feed on seeds, paper, spices, drugs, grain, cereal products, silk, botanical specimens, books, and insect specimens. The adult insects are 2 to 3 mm long and have a life span of up to 90 days. Females lay 10-100 egg, which hatch in 6-10 days. The larvae have a c-shaped white body and grow in length up to 3 mm. The larval period ranges from 30 to 60 days depending on temperature and humidity. The sex pheromone serricornin is used in cigarette beetle traps.
Synonyms and Related Terms
tobacco beetle; tow bug; Lasioderma serricorne
Additional Information
MuseumPests.net: Cigarette Beetle University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology: Cigarette beetle
Authority
- Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, Lynda A. Zycherman, J.Richard Schrock, A Guide to Museum Pest Control, FAIC and Association of Systematics Collections, Washington DC, 1988 Comment: adult life span = up to 26 days
- Random House, Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
- Website address 1, Website address 1 Comment: Univ. of Florida, Dept. of Entomology at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/urban/stored/cigarette_beetle.htm (accessed Dec. 2004) adult life span is 40-90 days