Cigarette beetle

Cigarette beetle infestation

Cigarette beetle SPI

The Cigarette beetle (Lasioderma Serricorne) comes from the same family as the the Biscuit beetle and the Woodworm, this is why it looks very similar to them. This pest is popular in the warmer countries, where it infests primarily tobacco and tobacco products but it is also a common pest in the rest of the world, where it is popular for infesting various stored products. The Cigarette beetle is considered a pest, as it causes damages to stored products and tobacco, while it is not known to bite people and pets.

The Cigarette beetle is typically found in places, where tobacco and tobacco leaves are stored, as well as in domestic and commercial premises, where the following products are stored: dried fruit, nuts, spices, flours, barley, rice, wheat, yeast, medications, leather, wool materials, dried flowers.

Common signs of a Cigarette beetle infestation would be damage to book bindings and leaves, hairs or straws of furniture, as well as signs of damage to stored products and tobacco and cigarettes. Damage to product packaging from the adults trying to make their way out of a product. Debris from the products can also be spotted sometimes as a result of the larvae feeding inside the package and pushing them out through the already damaged packaging.

Cigarette beetle treatment and control

Commercial warehouse

The treatment, control and removal of the Cigarette beetle is similar to the one of the other pantry pests. Regular inspections and monitoring are necessary, so that a potential infestation can be spotted on time and can prevent further damage to the products. As the Cigarette beetle infests a variety of products, both tobacco and cigarettes-related as well as stored products, it is essential that all products are regularly inspected and kept in tightly sealed glass containers. This would reduce the chance of developing a pantry pest infestation. For commercial customers Prime Pest Control offers specially designed pest management schemes for Cigarette beetle treatment, removal and control, that include regular monitoring and surveys, as well as treatment programmes with heat treatment and fumigation with low-toxic insecticides.

For domestic customers Prime Pest Control offers inspections and risk assessments, followed by a targeted heat treatment and potentially a targeted spray with human-friendly insecticide, approved for treatments in residential and commercial kitchens, as well as food handling and production industries. Initially, our British pest Control Association (BPCA) trained pest technicians inspect the property to identify the source of the infestation and all the different hideouts of the Cigarette beetles. Then, according to your preferences and needs, they will recommend the best course of action for the eradication of the infestation.

About cigarette beetles

The Cigarette beetle is pest that survives in relatively large temperature difference, which is why it can be found in my countries around the world. The adult form of this pantry pest is 2-3 mm in length and is usually light brown in colour. The head of the beetle is bent down, which makes it appear round or ‘humped’, similarly to the other two members of the family – Biscuit beetle and the Woodworm.

The Cigarette beetle lays up to 30 eggs during a 3 week period. The time required for the eggs to hatch varies between 6 and 10 days. The larval period of the beetle is between 5 – 10 weeks and the pupal period is between 2 and 3 weeks. Depending on the climate, the number of generations of the Cigarette beetle varies and it is between 1 generation in the countries with temperate climate to 5-6 generations in the warmer countries. The life cycle of this pantry pest is 70 to 90 days and the adult form can survive for up to 23 – 29 days in total. During the winter season the Cigarette beetle remains in its larval period and then it continues its development when the temperatures increase.

These beetles readily fly and prefer subdued light. They become active in the second part of the day when the light is not so bright. If disturbed, the Cigarette beetles pretend to be dead for a short period of time.