Stored Grain Insects |
|
|
| NEW
SEARCH |
Black spider beetle |
|
Mezium americanum
|
| 
Adult black spider beetle (Mezium Americanum)
Courtesy of CSIRO Division of Entomology
|
|
Description
The black spider beetle (Mezium americanum) has a particularly striking appearance. It is about 1.5 - 3.5 mm long, shiny black, with a bulbous body. The adults have biting mouthparts, a well developed thorax and 11 - segmented antennae. Characteristics which give them a spider- like appearance include a stout body, a waist-like constriction at the base of the prothorax and 6 long thin legs with 5 - segmented tarsi. The larvae are up to 4 mm long, white in colour and have a bent shape. The larvae possess 3 pairs of small thoracic legs.
|
| |
|
Life cycle
The life cycle usually lasts between 6 - 12 months. |
| |
|
Damage
Black spider beetle larvae will infest all manner of dry animal and vegetable matter including broken grain or grain products, seeds, dried fruits or meats, wool, hair, feathers, rat and mouse droppings, insect and other animal remains, plant and animal museum specimens, books, dried mushrooms, animal feeds and sugar. The larvae bore holes in which to pupate, and in so doing may damage packaging or the commodities themselves. They also contaminate commodities with droppings and silk webbing. Adult beetles will also damage packaging including bags and sacks. Gregarious and nocturnal, they spend the day in cracks and crevices. |
| |
|
Control
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
. |
|
