Shiny Spider Beetle

Shiny spider beetleis a cosmopolitan species that is well established in California and other western states. where it has been recorded as feeding on woolens and various dried animal products.

Shiny spider beetle adult is similar in shape and color to the American spider beetle. However, the head, thorax, legs, and antennae are the same color as the abdomen. This species, more than the other spider beetles, resembles a large, reddish mite.

This beetle has been found in houses, hotels, warehouses, mills, granaries, bakeries, and latrines, and on sponge-rubber bath mats, woolens, and towels. It is recorded as feeding on cereals, wheat, bran, baby food, stored seeds, stale bread, dog biscuits, decaying animal and vegetable refuse, cayenne pepper, and opium cake. it has long been known to occur in large numbers in old houses, damaging woolens and paper. It infests tallow, and has the ability to thrive on drugs, including opium

Shiny spider beetles are tolerant of cool conditions and can stay alive for long periods without food. If disturbed, they will act as if dead. Shiny spider beetles have also been found in bird nests and rat nests.

Life Cycle : Relatively few eggs are laid when compared with some species, such as Ptinus ocellus. The immature stages are similar in appearance to those of P. ocellus. The larvae do not wander away from the foodstuff for pupation, which takes place in a spherical cocoon. Gibbium psylloides appears to thrive under drier conditions than other spider beetles. The life cycle requires 22 to 42 weeks, and the adult usually lives another 30 to 40 weeks, but an adult life of 18.5 months at 25 °C (77 °F) has been recorded.

Life of adult beetles is relatively short under high temperatures and long under low temperatures . Studies with Japanese beetles under captivity have shown variations as wide as nine to 74 days in males and 17 to 105 days in females; the generally accepted range is 30 to 45 days.

Damage : Smooth 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.

Management Control of spider beetles relies on the discovery and elimination of the infested foodstuff. In many ways, this is similar to the control of all stored-product pests, but is made exceedingly difficult because of the beetles’ ability to feed on so many different items. For instance, although spider beetles may be found in the pantry, the real infestation could be in a rodent nest under the floor, in bat droppings in the attic space, or from dead overwintering insects trapped within an exterior wall.

If the food source for the infestation cannot be found, place monitors (sticky traps) in the vicinity where beetles were seen. When beetles are captured on a trap(s) in one area, move more traps to that section. Continue to focus the movement of the traps until the infestation is located. All effort should be made to remove the infested material. If you are unable to gain control, enlisting the aid of a pest management professional may be necessary.

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