Rice weevils are a common pest known to infest stored grains, seeds, and grain products.
Measuring about 1/8 inch long, these reddish-brown insects have distinct snouts and markings on their wing covers, making them easily identifiable.
While their presence may be worrisome, it’s important to understand the potential harm they can cause.
Although rice weevils are primarily considered a nuisance, their infestation can result in significant damage to food supplies.
They lay their eggs in grains, and as the larvae grow, they consume the grain from the inside.
As the infestation grows, the quality of the grain diminishes, leading to economic losses in the agricultural and food industries.
There are several ways to manage rice weevil infestations, such as using pesticides or employing natural control methods.
Knowing the extent of the harm these pests can cause helps in making informed decisions on suitable prevention and control measures.
Overview of Rice Weevils
Identification
Rice weevils are small insects found commonly in stored grain products. Adults are approximately 1/8 inch long and have a reddish-brown to black color.
They are distinguishable by their distinct snout and four light reddish or yellowish spots found on their wing covers.
Life Cycle
- Eggs are laid inside grain kernels by female weevils.
- Larvae emerge within the kernel and feed on it.
- The pupation stage occurs inside the kernel.
- Adult weevils break free of the kernel and continue the cycle.
Differences between Rice Weevils and Other Weevils
A few notable weevils are the rice weevil, granary weevil, and maize weevil. They have minor differences, as shown below:
| Feature | Rice Weevil | Granary Weevil | Maize Weevil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 1/8 inch (2-3 mm) | 3/16 inch (4.8 mm) | Similar to Rice Weevil |
| Color | Reddish-brown to black with 4 reddish-yellowish spots | Black-brown or red-brown | Similar to Rice Weevil |
| Thorax | Round or irregularly shaped pits | Longitudinal punctures | Similar to Rice Weevil |
| Ability to Fly | Yes | No | Yes |
Rice weevils can cause damage to stored grains, but they usually do not harm humans or pets.
Proper storage techniques can help prevent infestations from these pests.
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Are Rice Weevils Harmful?
Impact on Agriculture
- Rice weevils are an important pest of stored grain crops worldwide.
- They can cause significant damage to agricultural products, harming farmers’ livelihoods.
For example:
- Rice weevils infest rice, wheat, corn, and other stored grains.
- They consume these grains, leading to a decrease in crop yield.
Pests Destroying Your Garden? Learn the secrets to eliminating pests in your yard or garden in the most earth friendly way possible.
Effects on Stored Grains and Pantry Items
- Infestations of rice weevils can lead to losses in stored grains and pantry items.
- Their reproduction cycle is quick: in warm weather, they can complete their life stages in just 26 days.
Pros and cons of rice weevils:
Pros
- None: they are harmful pests with no known benefits.
Cons
- They cause damage to stored grains.
- They can infest pantry items and spread to other food storage areas.
Comparison table of rice weevils, granary weevils, and maize weevils:
| Weevil Species | Host Crops | Flying Ability | Attraction to Light |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Weevil | Rice, wheat, corn | Yes | Yes |
| Granary Weevil | Wheat, rice, corn | No | No |
| Maize Weevil | Corn, rice, wheat | Yes | Yes |
Characteristics of rice weevils:
- Adults are 1/8″ long.
- They have a distinct snout.
- Dull reddish-brown color with 4 faint reddish-yellow marks on wing covers.
- Attracted to light.
- Can fly.
- Larvae are legless and creamy-white.
Remember, rice weevils are harmful pests that can cause damage to both agriculture and stored grains in your pantry.
Be sure to take preventive measures and address any infestations promptly to minimize their impact.
How to Detect and Control Rice Weevil Infestations
Rice weevils are small pests that can infest stored grains and become pantry pests.
They’re approximately 1/8 inch long and have a distinct snout. Detecting their presence can be done by closely examining your stored grains for signs of damage or adult weevils.
Methods of Control
There are several ways to control and get rid of rice weevil infestations:
- Heat treatment: Placing infested grains in an oven at 140°F for 15 minutes or a microwave on high for 5 minutes can kill the weevils.
- Freezing: Storing grains in the freezer at 0°F for at least four days can also be effective.
- Clean and vacuum: Regularly cleaning your pantry and vacuuming shelves can help remove any stray weevils.
- Airtight containers: Storing grains in airtight containers can prevent weevils from infesting them.
Pros and Cons of Control Methods
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Heat treatment | Quick and effective | May alter the texture of grains |
| Freezing | Effective and safe | Requires significant freezer space |
| Cleaning/vacuum | Maintains a clean pantry environment | Time-consuming, not a guarantee |
| Airtight containers | Prevents infestations | Initial investment in containers |
Key Points
- Rice weevils can infest stored grains and become pantry pests.
- Detection involves examining grains for damage or adult weevils.
- Control methods include heat, freezing, cleaning, and airtight containers.
- Each control method has its pros and cons, making it crucial to choose the most suitable approach for your situation.
Managing rice weevil infestations is essential to protect your pantry and stored grains.
Regular inspections and preventative measures like airtight containers can go a long way in avoiding these pesky pests.
Preventing Future Infestations
Preventing rice weevil infestations involves proper storage and cleanliness. Let’s discuss some steps to help keep these pests at bay.
Store rice: Always store rice in tightly sealed containers. Glass or thick plastic containers are ideal for preventing weevils from reaching your rice1.
Packaging: When purchasing rice, look for quality packaging that is not damaged. Damaged packaging may allow weevils to access the rice2.
Cleaning: Regularly clean pantry shelves to remove any residue or hidden insects3. This discourages weevil infestations.
Bay leaves: Adding a few bay leaves to your rice container4 may act as a natural repellent. Weevils are said to dislike the aroma of bay leaves.
Here is a comparison table to highlight the differences between various prevention methods:
| Prevention Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed containers | Keeps rice weevil-free | May need to purchase containers |
| Quality packaging | Ensures rice is free from weevils | Limited control over packaging |
| Cleaning shelves | Maintains a clean environment for storage | Requires regular effort |
| Bay leaves | Natural repellent | Effectiveness may vary |
Consider following these simple steps to help protect your rice from weevil infestations and maintain a clean pantry environment.
Bug Control Recommendation Tool
Additional Information
Rice weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) are small insects with:
- A distinct snout
- Dull reddish-brown color
- Four faint reddish to yellowish marks on their wings
- The ability to fly and be attracted to light1
These pests belong to the Curculionidae family and are known to infest various grains, seeds, and beans.
They’re cousins to the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais) and granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius)4.
Adult rice weevils are equipped with strong mandibles that allow them to bore into seeds, cereals, and nuts1.
Female weevils lay their eggs inside these food sources, and as larvae hatch, they feed and develop within the kernels5.
Here are some key differences between rice weevils and their relatives:
| Feature | Rice Weevil | Maize Weevil | Granary Weevil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 1/8 inch | Similar to rice weevil | Slightly larger (3/16 inch) |
| Wings | Present | Present | Absent |
| Snout | Distinct | Distinct | Distinct |
| Color | Reddish-brown | Similar to rice weevil | Black-brown, occasionally red-brown2 |
| Flying ability | Yes | Yes | No |
Rice weevils are not known to transmit diseases, but their infestation can cause significant product damage and loss in the food processing industry.
It’s essential to maintain proper storage conditions to prevent infestations. Some precautionary measures include:
- Washing and drying rice and other grains before storage
- Storing food items in airtight containers
- Regularly cleaning storage areas
- Disposing of infested materials
In case of a rice weevil infestation, you can:
- Freeze the infested items for at least 4 days3
- Boil the grains to kill the weevils and their eggs
- Throw away heavily infested products to prevent the spread
Rice weevils could invade garden soil, pet food, or other food sources, so it’s crucial to monitor these areas and act promptly in case of an infestation1.
Conclusion
Rice weevils are small beetles that infest stored grains, such as rice, wheat, corn, and oats. They are not harmful to humans or animals, but they can cause significant economic losses and reduce the quality of food.
Rice weevils can be identified by their reddish-brown color, elongated snout, and four light spots on their wing covers. They can also fly and produce a squeaking sound when disturbed.
Rice weevils can be prevented by using sealed containers, inspecting grains before purchase, and freezing or heating infested grains.
Rice weevils are not easy to eradicate, but they can be controlled by using traps, insecticides, or biological agents.
Rice weevils are one of the most common and widespread pests of stored grains, and require constant vigilance and management.
Footnotes
-
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/rice-and-granary-weevils ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
-
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-237/E-237.html ↩ ↩2
-
https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/potential-insecticidal-activity-of-four-essential-oils-against-the-rice-weevil-sitophilus-oryzae-l-coleoptera-curculionidae/ ↩ ↩2
-
Rice Weevil | Oklahoma State University – OSU Extension ↩ ↩2
83 Comments. Leave new
Definitely edible. There’s no record of anyone getting ill from the consumption of insects [or their frass] that infest human foods. In fact the occurence in our food of weevils or moths, in any of their life stages, would simply increase the nutrition of that food.
Hi Heather…
The bug you posted is a type of weevil which belongs to the genus Sitophilus… Sitophilus granarium or the wheat weevil lacks those reddish spots on the elytra and never flies (lacks hindwings)… Both sitophilus oryzae (Rice weevil) and S. zeamays (Corn weevil) fly and look like the image shown but have an interesting difference… The rice weevil retracts its feet when touched and plays dead for some time but the corn weevil never plays dead!… Corn weevils also grow a little bit bigger.
I study “Plant protection” in Tehran university of agriculture”, Iran… We study all kinds of pests including pests of stored products…
I hope it was useful…
Yours: Mohsen…
I also have an infestation of these pesky little creatures. We noticed them several months ago I had sewed and made some of the corn bags for the game corn-hole. I had the box placed in a closet. I saw these bugs and immediately started investigating and I removed the box and sprayed. I vacummed everything up and didn’t noticed them for some time. About a month or so ago I noticed them everywhere in the closet so I pulled everything out including all the clothes. I am not able to find what it is that they are feeding on. They aren’t visible in my kitchen and believe I have tore my house apart and sprayed every spray money can buy. They have moved to every room in my house its almost like they are feeding off of my carpet. Does anyone have any suggestions???
I keep pulling everything out and vacumming and then emptying the vacumn into a bag and taking it outside to the trash. I am seriously about to pull my hair out. I don’t really have the money to have a professional come out.
The picture of the weevil on the corn kernel is great, what are the rules of me using this picture in a presentation?
You have our permission to use this photo in a presentation if it is for an educational purpose.
hypersensitivity pneumonitis seems to be caused by REPEATED exposure to dusts, not just an exposure one time. One of the main treatments is simply staying away from the dust.
Thanks so much for providing this comment. We are not physicians, and we are unable to make any professional diagnoses, but we couldn’t quite swallow the claims being made in the original post.
A link to a very easy to read information page on hypersensitivity pneumonitis… http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec04/ch051/ch051b.html It pretty much looks like its a rare case when this disease, which is caused by an allergy to specific dusts, actually ends up being fatal.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an inflammation of the lung (usually of the very small airways) caused by the body’s immune reaction to small air-borne particles. These particles can be bacteria, mold, fungi, or even inorganic matter. Grain Beetles are not Vectors of this disease…. right??
Can the poster count the legs? That would help us to see if it’s an insect or a mite. With regard to the weevils – these are common in the tropics and we sift them out of the flour with a sieve! We don’t throw away the flour.
Thanks Juliet,
We strongly believe that many old recipes call for sifting flour specifically to remove any insect pests that have infested it during its storage. While this is an easy fix with flour, with other stored products, there is not an easy means of separating food from pest and it is easier to discard than to have an infestation spread. We recently had an issue with meal moths in the nut canister. We were able to pick through the whole nuts, but all the nut meal that accumulated in the bottom of the canister, which we love to include in the batter for German Chocolate Cake, needed to be discarded. Corn meal is another product that is easier to discard than to try to salvage. We do give our flour sifter quite a workout, especially during the summer.
The rounded creatures look to me rather like small, blood-engorged, grey ticks, as desperately need help (dnh) suggested in the original post. The grey color is indeed reminiscent of dog ticks, but on the other hand, there are a lot of different species of ticks. I wonder if dnh currently has a dog that likes to snooze on the bed? Anyway, it looks as if the ticks were collected using a piece of scotch tape. After collecting, dropping the piece of scotch tape into a small bottle of alcohol would preserve the creatures so that dnh can show them to an expert.
Susan J. Hewitt
Thanks Susan,
We also thought they might be Ticks, but they seemed too small.
Ticks start out as minute miniature versions of how they look in the adult form, so why not? Take a look at these hatched tick eggs here:
http://tgaw.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/introducing-the-baby-ticks/
Thanks Susan. Your comments are always appreciated.
I sent a request a few weeks back with photos, but just found them myself here.
The showed up again tonight, after being wiped-out the week before last. I couldn’t figure out where they were coming from because, unlike last time, my doors/windows have not been open for warm weather.
Then I thought to check the birdseed I keep near my patio in a bucket. Yup.
Seeds led me to narrow my search to weevils and these look like the ones I have.
We are happy to learn you did eventually find the identity of your Weevils as well as the source of the infestation. Sadly, our staff is quite small and consequently, we are unable to respond to every request we receive.
I agree with Susan that it’s a larval tick.
Thanks for your input.
Dear Yvonne,
I am writing a field guide,”Beetles of Eastern North America” for Princeton University Press that will cover 1,400 species in color. This book is part of the same series that includes Dave Wagner’s caterpillar books and Dennis Paulson’s recent odonate tomes. I would like to use one of your images of Cylas formicarius that appear on What’s That Bug? that you posted back in 2008.
Unfortunately, there is no photo budget for the field guide, but I can promise you a copy of the book when it is published within the next two years and my eternal gratitude! Might you be willing to contribute this image to the book?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, ART EVANS
arthurevans@verizon.net
smoothing bit me in the middle of the nite the bite was like a flee bite but hurt like a bee the secket day it had a bump in the middle and two half circles around it third day I started getting red bumps all over my chest by the bite was and now its been 2 weeks and I am covered in red bumps from head to toe and some of them sting some times but where the bite was is gone and the only bug I have seen in my house was a little black bug in my bird seed but petco said it wasent a bite from that bug what could it be please help in Jonesboro Arkansas
We have these bugs too right now and haven’t found the source of their food yet. BUT my mom got a bite on her arm three little bites to be exact all right next to eachother like in a line and it got all red all around it and the red diameter seemed to grow larger and larger over the next few days after she got the bite. Her’s stings and itches and we cant figure out what its from either. Did YOU ever figure out what yours was from?
Sounds like chiggers, you can get an over the counter cream for it
No doubt in my mind, it’s a tick. When you start to deal with a tick infestation, it can be confusing because they have 3 distinct and very different manifestations, four if you count the egg stage and five if you count engorged adult separately. Infestation is a real problem because the engorged female will crawl off into some dark space to lay a ton of eggs. They don’t hatch for a few weeks, so just when you think you’ve licked them, the tiny hatchlings, very very small and hard to see with out a magnifying glass, will start the cycle again. They feed, then crawl away to change into a nymph then feed again then crawl off to turn into an adult… The two photos presented above show a young adult (I think) and an engorged female who may have laid eggs. After she lays the eggs, her job is done and she Shrivels up and dies. That’s what the adults do; feed, engorge, mate and lay eggs. I wish I didn’t know so much about them, and I really wish I had a cure all miracle for getting rid of the demons, but I don’t. The only real cure is to make sure your animals aren’t breakfast and lunch and you are not dinner. I love a tick remedy called certifect. It has amitraz in it and that chemical can be hard on dogs and should not be used on cats, but it kills any ticks that bite the dogs. It’s been the ONLY dog tick treatment that has worked for us. And clean the room, rooms, house and in my case, boat with a fine tooth brush. They crawl upwards if they can. Check curtains and behind wall outlets. Vacumn and then vacumn again and then vacumn every day for a couple of weeks. Dont miss window sills, behind headboards and dressers. Make sure you empty the vacumn cleaner bag into a sealed plastic bag before you toss or you will be spreading the herd. And of course, check the mattress and wash all linens in hot water. I realize the above post was a few years ago, but there’s so little info online that I thought I might be able to help someone else get rid of these blood sucking pests.
Wow Lauri,
We are going to make your comment a distinct posting that will be more visible for our readers.
No problem Daniel. If I ever find out their names I’ll come back and update this entry.
David.
No problem Daniel. If I ever find out their names I’ll come back and update this entry.
David.
i don’t see them in my kitchen i see them in my bathroom with I’m shocked cause i know what they eat since i was a little girl but i can’t for the life of me figure out why they are in my bathroom and i don’t keep or eat food in my restroom so please help????
Perhaps they are feeding elsewhere, but attracted to the bathroom lighting or windows.
Is this the same kind if weevil that I just found in my pancake mix? I’m wondering if I should just pic them out or throw the whole thing away. I suppose they have left unseeable traces of themselves in there. Yup I’m discusted now
🙂
This came in so handy. I had deer feed in the garage and went to open a plastic bin, and there were tons of them. How did they or do they get into a sealed container? How do they originate? I still see some crawling around. Do they bite? They are kind of hard to kill. They are tiny suckers.
Thank you
It is possible that the feed was pre-infested with eggs when the feed was originally packaged.
This came in so handy. I had deer feed in the garage and went to open a plastic bin, and there were tons of them. How did they or do they get into a sealed container? How do they originate? I still see some crawling around. Do they bite? They are kind of hard to kill. They are tiny suckers.
Thank you
Have been vomiting and have congestion in the lungs for past few weeks. Just had grain weevils identified in my kitchen food cupboards. They really are tiny and hard to spot. Think I might have eaten quite a few. Yuk!
Weavil infested corn cannot be sold as human food…so the farmers tend to grind it up and sell it to birdseed companies at very low cost. While the bugs usually get shook out or killed during grinding and processing, the eggs do not. So after the bag sits idle for a few months, those left over eggs hatch…produce a few bugs…those mate…late more eggs…and so on until after a few months you’ve got a giant bag full of bugs…then they start squirming out of the bags through small holes and going elsewhere. I had a severe run-in with them and discovered they were in my Redbird brand bird seed bags from Walmart I bought last year on sale. I bought four bags and had stored them in a back room. By the time I read this article and identified the bug…and then opened the bags, it was not pretty. Thousands of the little boogers between four 40lb bags. It was creepy and gross. I’m from Arkansas, by the way, so not just a Texas bug.
Thanks for verifying our response with a personal experience.
I bought Top Score brand deer corn from WalMart about a month ago and found it to be pretty dusty and had some weevils (based on the pictures on this site–thanks!), but didn’t find them till I got to the bottom of the bags. Shook down maybe? I bought again recently and same situation. Never had corn this dirty and none with bugs in other brands. I do know that on the last purchase Walmart had a HUGE inventory stored in the garden section, I am referring to a lot of pallets stacked two high on the racks. I’ll be over there today and will see if Mangagement is aware. I’m pretty sure they are by now. Question : who should be notified at the state level to investigate? Do you think it is in all grain from that region? Most informative site and greatly appreciated!
I cleaned out the cabinets. And now I can’t sleep feeling like there on me. I will be calling to get it sprayed
Hey i have seen some bugs in My kitchen they are all over they are very very fine And dark looking. it can hardly be seen by the naked eye..it resembles the grain weevils but they eat everything..i found in flour and cornmeal i Found them in my teabag, seasons, pills, yes my medication which are vitamins,pasta, medicine that is cough syrup, i have serious infestation. I recently had to throw everything out..i live in the caribbean…they literally eat and infest everything…please i have always Been cleaning and wiping and did not know it was bad until i started to check Everything in house in cupboard and counter table and found these very fine bugs in everything they even eat Garlic, and banana and green leaves and they survive in the fridge because i had placed a box of pasta in the Fridge and they not seen these bugs and upon checking they were there alive…please help what are these
I have a corn burning stove to heat my house for the winter. I keep the corn in my basement in bags with a dehumidifier on them. I just noticed all the bags are filled with the grain weevil that I found on your web site. I Don’t want to lose all the money I put into the ton of corn I have stored. Do you know of any kind of spray I can use to kill them. Thank you,
Kyle
We do not provide extermination advice.
I have a corn burning stove to heat my house for the winter. I keep the corn in my basement in bags with a dehumidifier on them. I just noticed all the bags are filled with the grain weevil that I found on your web site. I Don’t want to lose all the money I put into the ton of corn I have stored. Do you know of any kind of spray I can use to kill them. Thank you,
Kyle
I have had the exact beetle. They came out of the wallboards in my pantry, shortly after I stuffed steel wool into all visible cracks between the floor and the wallboard. They showed up in mass within a few days, but after wiping everything with sterile wipes, no more have shown up. Try the steel wool…. it might have irritated them enough to brake the life cycle.
Thanks everyone for the heads up. Just experienced these little weevils at my mothers house in the utility room, she had bird seeds stored in the room and they were absolutely everywhere. I emptied the 2 full buckets of seed into the garden for the birds. At first I couldn’t see where they were all coming from then on closer inspection of the buckets the inside was rippling as if the grain was alive. Hopefully they will all eventually die off. My question is do they like cat biscuits? Would it be worth throwing them out too, and experience or advice on this will be appreciated. Unless I find out sooner than you guys telling me..
Many species of beetles will infest grain and grain products.
I bought a couple of bags of birdseed from Walmart and just open the last bag, and it was infested with little bugs I put the birdseed out in the garage I’m from Chicago. It is now about 15 degrees outside will the cold kill these bugs. thank you, is it okay to feed it to the birds
We don’t believe the cold will effectively eliminate the Weevils from the seed. You can try feeding the seed to the birds.
I also made corn hole game bags with deer corn, smelled a mildew odor, I opened the soft side cooler with the bags in it and they were everywhere. I’ve heard that you can put the bags in the freezer to help with moisture, will the freezer also help to keep the preinfested eggs from hatching?
Freezing might help with unhatched eggs, but in our opinion, heat might be a better control method.
I have had most all of the above experiences except that my bugs fly. They look like the grain weevil pictures, started when I cleaned my cabinets full of outdated dried goods, and feed off of me and my cats. One cat now lives in a caninef under tge bathroom sink that is not yet infested. I can pet them withouf causing pain only if I have covered my hands in permethin (i know not healthy but only relief). They do like food but everything else, too. They seem aggressive. They clamp onto me when biting and look like those little red dots. However, when hit with multiple ones, the pain is excruciating and I find little grey flecks. When I finally got a pucturs of one that was half dead (only safe way), it looked like one of the beetle pictures. These bugs clearly bite. They fly, too, unless I’ve got a secondary infestation. I should mention also that this became evident within hours of getting my cats treated for fleas, and these bugs have been confirmed not to be fleas.
I feel relieved after reading this!! Found lil dark pest and thought I had my first bed bugs. They were in utility room and first spotted on just dried sheets.
Then many were in stored grocery bag.as I got all my saved grocery bags out,theres was a partial bag of bird seed hiding and omg.200 plus in it with tiny hole puntures all in it.We set off a bug bomb in the room.Sure glad it’s weevils and not bed bugs.thanks for your help
I feel relieved after reading this!! Found lil dark pest and thought I had my first bed bugs. They were in utility room and first spotted on just dried sheets.
Then many were in stored grocery bag.as I got all my saved grocery bags out,theres was a partial bag of bird seed hiding and omg.200 plus in it with tiny hole puntures all in it.We set off a bug bomb in the room.Sure glad it’s weevils and not bed bugs.thanks for your help
The information is very helpful.Will they not hurt hens when they crawl about in a room with hens or broilers?Thank you
We do not believe weevils will harm hens.
I purchased a Pennington Premium woodpecker treat Bar from Walmart in Houston, at silber and I-10. Luckily I didn’t bring it in the house. I had these crawling all over my patio minutes after opening the package. They are easily killed with Terminex insect killer. I bought at the $1,25 store. But beware of any bird seed. Especially from Walmart. This is the second time this has happened to me. I’m trying to lure out the bugs in. Plastic bag. I’m going to hang the seed treat in hopes the birds eat it and the rest of the larvae before they hatch!
I bought infested bird seed bags from Lowes. The whole palette at the store was infested! Omg I had them all in my house and car!! From that stupid bird seed!! I told management and they pulled that from shelves. I’m still finding them .. so happy to identify them too.. HATE THEM! dealing with aftermath of it. Praying they don’t breed or multiply. I think they’re hiding in floorboards and carpet…
I too found a bag of these little beetles in cracked corn we’re using for filler along with sun flower seed.
Nice!
Walmart and there Suppliers can KNOWINGLY send infested products across the country. Where’s the Warning label? (May contain Weevils)
Thanks for the infestation in my house Walmart!
The exact origins of many creatures that infest food products is unknown because they now have such a cosmopolitan distribution due to globalized shipping and trade. More than once we have bought new corn meal only to find it infested with Meal Moths. Take a look at this image from our archive of infested sesame seeds.
I too found a bag of these little beetles in cracked corn we’re using for filler along with sun flower seed.
Nice!
Walmart and there Suppliers can KNOWINGLY send infested products across the country. Where’s the Warning label? (May contain Weevils)
Thanks for the infestation in my house Walmart!
purchased new cornhole bags last fall and when we used them this year noticed some had lost considerable weight and volume, cut one open and they were full of grain weevils and had consumed most of the corn fill.
if I throw my infested bag of corn in the yard, will the weevils hurt my yard plants and trees?
Grain Weevils feed on grain, not plants. If you throw the corn in the yard, it will not affect your plants and trees.
I own a pest Control company in Central Florida. Envirosafe Pest Control Orlando http://www.orlandopestcontrol.com 407-580-7124 and within the past week we have found granary weevils in a bag of deer corn stored in a business and then in a closest where the granary weevils had infested corn hole bags. These things can be trouble and are hard to get rid of. Call us in Orlando or Winter Garden http://www.pestcontrolinwintergarden.com or in NC http://www.huntersvillepestcontrolexterminator.com
We have long thought that Corn Hole bags are likely to get infested by grain eating critters.
I ordered corn hole bags from amazon. Weeks later went to get out of box and bugs were everyehere. Some bags were already lighter from them eating it. They are in my house now. Very gross cant order anything anymore without worry.
What do you recommend to get them out of the house? Insect bomb?
Bought a bag of birdseed for Cardinals and a had with corn. Wal-Mart sticks again. Went to take the corn out of the seed and saw several of these bugs crawling. Owensboro, My
Thank you for all your information, it has been very helpful. I have just spent the morning cleaning out one of my kitchen cupboards where I kept a bag of mixed bird seed. I’m in the UK. I had to chuck out quite a bit of other foods as these bugs seamed to get everywhere! I’m hoping I have got rid but am worried iv’e missed eggs. I just have to keep on top of my cupboard cleaning I guess.
how do you kill the weevils
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We buy bird feed and corn to feed the birds and wildlife. We have these pesky little bugs in our garage my husband has litterly killed thousands, and we bought our feed and corn from a local feed store.
I have an almost empty 40 pound bag of deer corn, and today for the first time it was covered with these weevils. I put the bag outside on the patio in hopes of keeping them outside. However, I’ve also got a 40 pound bag of black sunflower seed in the garage. I didn’t see any of them crawling on it. Will they eat sunflower seeds, too?
We believe it is a possibility.
we bought some corn to feed our deer and did not know to watch out for weevils. there must have been thousands of them in my kitchen, living room, bedroom and in the pantry where the corn was stored. we got the bag of corn out of the house, vacuumed everything and they are still crawling. how long do they live?
How in the world do you get rid of them?
You can answer everything but how to get rid of them.
Can we spray bug spray?
What?
Spray will not help. You need to discard the food source for the larvae.
How in the world do you get rid of them?
You can answer everything but how to get rid of them.
Can we spray bug spray?
What?
Bless this site! That explains the faint popping/crackling sound I could SWEAR was coming from the birdseed bag by the patio door. It most definitely was! The weevils don’t seem to have found or maybe don’t care for my cat’s food, so now that the birdseed bag is outside, I hope the weevils in my house will naturally die out. They’re not so bad, and they’re entertaining to the cat.
So can I just put this out for wild birds still if it is I feared? Will they come in my house? Will it hurt the birds?
Do these little grain weevils have wings? I have found one in my laundry room. It’s jet black with a “snout” and it has a set of wings hiding under his back. I ripped my pantry apart and found nothing inside. I don’t THINK I have any bird seed or anything laying about. But I have noticed 3 of these in my home. 2 in my bathroom and one in my laundry room. After seeing 3 of the same bug I decided I may want to check it out. I live on a slab so I get frequent visits from random bugs but I have never seen these guys before. He is a little less than a quarter inch, fully black, hidden wings, snout, oval shaped and can climb the glass container I have him in. I live in Michigan and it’s starting to get super warm out and I’m wondering if they are coming into my home for shelter from the heat. But is there another weevil out there that looks exactly like a grain weevil? I assumed these types of grain weevils were brown in color but now im thinking they come in black too? And if so I need to find the source of their food. Which I have looked and haven’t found anything yet…I sure hope what I found isn’t the first signs of an infestation.
After doing a little more research I think what I have is a tiny black snout beetle. Now these look almost similar to the grain weevil (the snout beetle is a weevil also I think) so I’m curious to see if they both are the same bug or if they just look like the same bug. From what I gather, the little winged insect that I have is a snout beetle and they feed on plants and such. But nothing grain related in their diet. I sure hope this is true. I would much rather have a visitor bug in my home than a pest that wants to stay.
I make cornhole bags, sewed a bunch and stored them in totes. Now I open them after the winter (where they were exposed to below freezing temps) to find white worms. I microwaved all my bags for 30 seconds. Thought that would do any in inside the bags. Then I experimented with a live worm, still alive after one minute of microwaving!! Ugh, what to do?!?!