THE DARKLING BEETLES

• The red flour beetle, a common household insect pest that originates from infested grain or from dry, stored food products
• Red flour beetle has one of the highest rates of population growth for stored-product insects
• Red flour beetles are polyandrous in mating behaviour
• Adults are a small reddish brown beetle and are about 3- 4 mm long.
• Releases a noxious secretion, when disturbed, resulting in a pungent odour in the infested commodity, rendering milled products unfit for consumption
• May cause food to acquire a pinkish tinge when a large number of insects are present
• Each female lays 400 to 500 eggs.