Flour weevils/beetles or something

[thewillow]

I found a bag of flour in my pantry last week infested with a small brown insect. Dark-brown - a bit like a flea but they don't jump, they crawl. Thought I saw one flying but I'm not sure. I eradicated the source and threw out all open packets of food and cleaned the area. However, a week later, I'm still coming across a couple of these insects a day in the adjoining room. On the carpet, on furniture. What exactly are they? What can I do? Help! Do they bite humans?

[woofgang]

I think that your heading is right and they are flour weevils or beetles I have had them myself and they are a complete nightmare to get rid of. I got advice which is to dispose of all cereal based foodstuffs in the house and then vaccum thoroughly throughout, immediately emptying the vac in the open air into a bag which you then seal. Wash all jars cannisters, cupboards etcetera. Re stock with caution as you may not have eradicated all of them and it gets expensive, if this fails, then you will need to get in a professional pest eradication firm. They (the beetles, no the pest firm) do not bite humans but can live on any ceareal based foodstuff (even a little spillage ) and have an uncanny knack of getting into any container. Good luck....

[thewillow]

Thanks woofgang. A nightmare to get rid of - great! Just came home and caught two more of the little b*ggers quite some distance from the scene of the crime. Do you know if they fly? Glad to hear they don't bite humans. I've been itching like a looper for the past week but it's probably phychological. I'm off to crawl round the floor again.

[andy hughes]

Woofgangs's advice is sound. You need to thoroughly disinfect all your cupboards and food surfaces - leave them a day or so before re-stocking. The same goes for all your containers. Weevils tend to take over if you leave cereal stuffs for a long time, so make sure you use or dispose of all ceral foodstuffs at regular intervals to prevent a recurrence.

[woofgang]

I'm not sure whether they actually fly, but because they are so small, I'm sure that drafts, air convection etc can waft them around the house...hate to make things worse, but there are also starch based products used in eg wallpaper glue so you really have to clean thoroughly...and don't forget petfood.

[incitatus]

they are what is known as biscuit beetle. they dont bite but they are unpleasant. one of the easiest ways to get rid is to use one of those slow release fly killers in the room. or to burn cedarwood or use cedar oil which repels them.( they may then crawkl all round the house though).

[woofgang]

I know its a typo, but isn't crawkl a lovely word for the way little beasties get everwhere?...maybe it wasn't a typo??

[Janpot]

Yes they do fly. My monther has had them twice at her house. Janpot.

[newcomer]

I have had these for several years, they fly past my pc screen sometimes landing on it ,and I sit under the stairs in the hall. I have found holes in my tupperware containers where I keep flour and even found them in the dog biscuit tin with holes in the biscuits. I have thrown countless packets of food away.
My son is training to be a pest controller, he said I should be fumigated, but I have two large tanks of tropical fish which would be harmed.