STORED GRAIN :: PRIMARY STORAGE PEST :: INTERNAL FEEDERS :: CIGARETTE BEETLE

5. Cigarette beetle: Lasioderma serricorne (Anobiidae: Coleoptera)

Bionomics: Adult light brown round beetle with its thorax and head bent downwards and this presents a strongly humped appearance to the insect. The elytra have minute hairs on them. Antenna is of uniform thickness. The creamy whit oval eggs are laid on the surface of stored material and the incubation period is 9- 14 days. The larval and pupal periods range respectively from 17 – 29 days and 2-8 days. Grub whitish hairy grub.

Damage symptoms : Both grubs and adults bore into tobacco products viz., cigarettes, cheroots and chewing tobacco. Presence o f circular pin head sized bore holes on processed tobacco is the typical symptom of attack. It also attacks the grain of wheat, peanut, cocoa, bean, cotton seed etc.