Saw-toothed Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus Surinamensis)
Facts
- Adults are unable to fly and must be introduced from contaminated grain.
- Adults can live for 6 – 10 months.
- Females lay between 45 – 285 eggs during their lifetime.
- Eggs are dropped loosely among grain kernels or tucked into a crevice in a kernel.
- Optimum development takes place around 32°C at a relative humidity of 70% where the life cycle can be completed in 3 to 4 weeks.
- Adults feed on grain dust and broken kernels.
- Is not able to feed on sound kernels, but is able to attack even slightly damaged grain. Hence it is regarded as a secondary pest.