Rice Weevil
Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus)
What are you really eating? The rice weevil implants its eggs into whole grains, closing the hole after each egg is deposited. The larva matures, grows and feeds inside the grain until it is ready to emerge and create a new generation. Rice weevils commonly infest pasta as well as whole grains. The rice weevil is likely the most destructive pest of stored grain.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
- Found in unsealed food containers.
- Common in warmer areas.
- May notice holes in grains, such as rice.
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Insecta | Coleoptera | Curculionidae | |
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| Size: | Rice weevils are about 1/8 in (3-4 mm) long. |
| Color: | Adult is dull reddish brown; larva is creamy white with brownish-black head. |
| Characteristics: | Adult's wing covers usually have 4 faint red to yellow pale marks; deep pits on thorax are round or irregular in shape; the midline of the pronotum is usually puncture-free. Wings are fully developed, used for flight. Male's snout is shorter, wider and with more distinct punctures than female's. Larva is legless, thickened in the middle for a humpback look, and fairly smooth; with 7-8 tiny fingerlike sensory projections on the lower mouthpart. |
| Geographic Range: | The rice weevil is found all over the world, especially in warm climates. In the U.S. it is widely distributed in field and stored grain in the south, but only in stored grain to the north of North Carolina. |
| Food: | Corn, wheat, rice, rye, buckwheat, cereals, beans, nuts, cotton, grapes, apples, pears. |
| Biology: | The rice weevil female bores a hole in kernel of grain, lays an egg, then seals the hole with a gelatinous material. She lays 300-400 eggs in a lifetime, but seldom in winter. The cooler the temperature, the less egg-laying there is. Larvae go through 3-4 stages (instars) in about 18 days, and pupate for about 6 days. The adult rice weevil stays in the grain kernel for 3-4 days until it is hardened and mature. The complete life cycle can be as short as 32 days in summer. Adult may live 3-6 months. |
Prevention Tips For
Stored Product Pests
Stored Product Pests
- Inspect incoming packages/products to ensure pests are not being brought into home
- Keep food in sealed containers
It only takes a few minutes to start protecting your home today.
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