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Name This Pest! Worked out what this is from the last issue? Find out on the next page! t Stephen L. Doggett Hint: this spiky little fellow can produce nasty skin irritations with those spines. You may think you know what this is, but guess again as it is not the most commonly seen species in this group. Length around 10mm.

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Black Carpet Beetle Also known as the ‘Fur beetle’ Text by David Lilly

lack carpet beetles are Dermestid has experience of occasionally finding beetles (Family: Dermistidae) these beetles in the fines collection of Bfrom the genus Attagenus. They grain processing mills. Evidence of their are typically small (5 mm or less as adults), activity usually becomes apparent through round beetles that are covered in fine hairs. holes eaten by the larvae, although large The larvae are typically much longer, up infestations may be discovered through the to 10mm in the late instars. As their name presence of cast skins. suggests, several species are uniformly black in appearance and may be difficult to Immature Stages identify without the appropriate visual aids Eggs of Attagenus beetles are laid in cracks and references guides. Attagenus fasciatus and crevices nearby or within the infested is the most distinctive and readily identified product. Once the larvae have hatched, of the commonly encountered species, they burrow into the commodity and begin as it possesses a distinctive tan-coloured their slow development. A full life-cycle can band across its elytra. The image on the take between 6 months to 3 years. Both previous page is a later instar of the larvae larvae and adult beetles can over-winter, of Attagenus unicolor and the adult is on the surviving both cold and dry conditions. following page. They recommence their development when exposed to warmer temperatures. Pupation Attagenus spp. beetles are scavengers and occurs inside the skin of the last larval stage. possess a wide and varied diet of almost anything of animal origin. They can be a Distribution pest of museums due to their tendency Various species of Attagenus beetles occur to attack specimens and artefacts made worldwide. Due to their slow population from skin, hide, or wool. In the domestic growth, Attagenus beetles are mostly minor environment, they are more likely to infest pests, although if left undiscovered they can dry pet food, seeds, and other pantry items. cause considerable damage over time in In industrial environments, the author also museums.

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Adult Attagenus unicolor, ~5mm in length. Image supplied by Dr. Reiner Pospischil, PMP- Biosolutions, Germany

Medical Importance than insecticide treatments alone. Sex As with most Dermestid beetles, they may pheromone lures are available that attract possess some allergenic capacity, due adult male beetles, and prompt attention primarily to the fine hairs (setae) on the to the any detection has a higher chance of larvae. If the larvae are present in large finding and eradicating an infestation that numbers (alive or dead), or even the cast if the problem is left for months (or years). skins of larval instars, when disturbed Due to their slow development times, it is these setae may penetrate human skin and easier to manage Attagenus beetles than cause skin irritation and allergies. Adult many of the other more significant stored beetles, however, are of negligible medical product beetles.  importance. Dr David Lilly is a Lead Entomologist for Treatment & Control Ecolab’s Global Pest Elimination - RD&E As with most stored product pests regular Division, and Associate Editor of the inspection, stock rotation, and attention to FAOPMA Magazine. detail with cleaning is more likely to achieve population suppression or eradication Email: [email protected]

76 || FAOPMA Newsletter - October 2019 P Name This Pest! E Find out what this is in the next edition S Stephen L. Doggett T Stephen L. Doggett

Hint: this mite is often misidentified as another species that appears in one of the articles in this issue. If you get the identification wrong, then expect a treatment failure, as control of this pest is very different. Bar = 1mm.

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