Have you heard of Cigarette beetles. Cigar beetles, or Tobacco beetles. These are all names for the same little annoying little creature – Lasioderma serricorne – and no matter what you call it, it spells bad news. Have you heard of Cigarette beetles. Cigar beetles, or Tobacco beetles. These are all names for the same little annoying little creature – Lasioderma serricorne – and no matter what you call it, it spells bad news.

These pests are just a few millimeters in length, but these brown beetles would love nothing more than to eat tobacco, food and dried seasonings, stored grains, your seasonal wreathes, or even the books and bindings you have stored in your home. Learning how to control them starts with a bit of background knowledge.

Understanding These Beetles

The cigarette beetles are fairly small, brown beetles that are about two to three millimeters in length. Their heads are bent down, making them look as if they have humped backs. They have wings and the ability to fly. Their larvae are typically white grub-like creatures that have three sets of forelegs. They’re also quite hairy. The adults live about a month, and the females can lay up to 100 eggs, so they can be fairly prolific. Eggs hatch after just ten days, and once they’ve hatched, the larvae eat through food material, contaminated everything. They can be fully grown after just thirty days, under the right conditions, and they then enter a pupal stage that lasts just under two weeks.

Cigarette beetles get their name because they’re the number one pests of stored tobacco. Packaged cigars, chewing tobacco, and cigarettes can all be infested with the cigarette beetle, but they will eat almost anything including stored grain, spices, rice, and even dried flowers. They can also eat pyrethrum powder, which will typically kill creatures like cockroaches.

Dealing With the Problem

Think you might have an infestation on your hands? It’s not usually hard to miss. If you do, you are likely to see adults or at least debris coming out of the packages in your home. Once the adults crawl out of the packages, they will fly around. You will also see small holes in package materials, as that is how they chew their way out.

If you are infested, you will need to get rid of any food that may be infested. Once the beetles make their way into your home, they are likely to infest almost everything in it. Be sure to vacuum shelves and pantries where they have been. Store all of your food in glass or plastic containers, too, to help keep them out of stuff.

If you are infested, it is essential that you contact a Brevard County pest control service immediately. Cigarette beetles are very hard to eliminate on your own, and the help of a pest control service will not only make sure you get the right solution, but also that you do not get re-infested in the near future.