Glabrous carpet beetle
Trogoderma glabrum (Herbst)

Order: Coleoptera
Family: Dermestidae
Acronym: TGL

Ecology

The glabrous carpet beetle is found in North America, Europe and North and Central Asia. In Canada, it is reported from the Prairie Provinces, Ontario and Quebec. The larva feeds on stored wheat, shelled corn, barley, soybean meal, wheat bran and brome grass seed. It is found in granaries, flour mills, feed mills and dried milk factories. The glabrous carpet beetle looks very similar to other Trogoderma species.

Damage

The glabrous carpet beetle is a minor pest. It is a generalist feeder and does not cause distinctive damage. The larva causes damage by feeding on the commodity. First, the larva eats the germ. Then it feeds on the endosperm and bran. Signs of infestation are a disagreeable odour in the commodity and contamination with cast larval skins.

Life history

The adult is unicolourus or one-coloured. It is a dark brown that appears to be almost black. It is covered with fine hairs which may be brown, black, white or gold in color. These hairs form a pale pattern on the elytra. It can be distinguished from other Trogoderma species by the paler patterns on its elytra. It is oval and has clubbed antennae. It is 2 – 4.2 mm long. It is short-lived. The adult can fly. The adult feeds on nectar and pollen from flowers.

Immediately after pupation, the adults mate. The female is larger than the male. She lays her eggs singly in the food source. She can produce up to 80 eggs under optimal conditions.

The larva is oval shaped and covered in dense hairs. It is whitish yellow when young and reddish brown when mature. There are tufts of short dense hairs located on the last abdominal segments. Conditions for development are temperatures in the range of 27°C to 38°C. The life cycle can be completed in 30-50 days under optimal conditions. The larva moults many times during development. Under adverse conditions, it will moult even more. It can enter a state of diapause if the environment is unsuitable for development. The larva pupates in the last larval skin.

Control

Controlling insect infestations

Images

Adult: Glabrous carpet beetle – Trogoderma glabrum