Feeding Habits:

• Diet: Merchant grain beetles primarily feed on stored grains, cereals, and processed food products. They have a particular affinity for items like flour, pasta, and rice.
• Feeding Method: Adult beetles feed on the outer layers of grains, while larvae bore into the grains, causing damage.
  
  

Preferred Environments:

• Temperature and Humidity: Merchant grain beetles thrive in warm and humid conditions, making stored food facilities, warehouses, and pantries ideal habitats.
• Storage Areas: They often infest stored grains and cereal products, taking refuge in cracks, crevices, and packaging.
  
  

Nocturnal Activity:

• Merchant grain beetles are typically more active during the night, foraging for food and exploring their surroundings.
  
  

Reproduction:

• Egg Laying: Female beetles lay eggs in stored food products, and the larvae develop within the grains.
• Life Cycle: The life cycle includes egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages, and it may take several weeks to complete depending on environmental conditions.
  
  

Attraction to Light:

• Merchant grain beetles are attracted to light, and their presence may be noticeable near light sources during their nocturnal activities.
  
  

Flight Capability:

• While merchant grain beetles have wings, they are not strong fliers and typically rely on crawling to move from one location to another.
  
  

Survival Adaptations:

• Merchant grain beetles can withstand moderate cold temperatures and may survive in cooler climates, although they thrive in warmer conditions.