Spotted hairy fungus beetle

Classification

Secondary pest; fungal feeder
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Mycetophagidae
Acronym: MQU

Description

• Adults are generally dark brown and have bi-coloured elytra with yellowish to reddish spots.
• Adults are small (3.3 to 4.0 mm long) and have a pair of deep, oval pits near the base of the pronotum.

Similar species

• Silken fungus beetles (Cryptophagus spp, Atomaria spp.)
• Hairy fungus beetle (Typhaea stercorea)

Commodities affected

• Does not feed on commodity, rather it feeds on associated microorganisms
• May infest cereal grains, wheat, barley, oats, bran, rice, flour, bread, dried fruit, mouldy plant and animal materials

Signs of infestation

• Mouldy, damp grain is often indicative of the presence of the beetles rather than the other way around

Damage

• Both adults and larvae feed on fungal spores and hyphae and do not cause direct damage to the commodity
• Adults are capable of transmitting fungal spores and may promote excessive mould growth in storage

How to control

• Control grain insect pests

Geographic range

• Is found in Europe and North America, and across Canada
• Is fairly common across the prairie provinces

Where found

• Is reported from grain elevators, granaries, mills, warehouses, waste feed, sacked grain