Warehouse beetle

Given name : Warehouse beetle

Latin name : Trogoderma variabile

Physical attributes : The adult is bicolour, he is for the most part dark brown and it's wings have three strips that are lightbrown. It is covered in small hairs, has an oval shape and it measures 2 to 5 millimetre in length. The adult insect has a lifespan of 10 to 60 days and it can fly.

Diet : It feeds off of stored grains, vegetables, nuts and products very high in protein. It prefers feeding itself of animal food, barley, wheat and pollen.

Reproduction : This beetle mates at certain temperature between 17 and 37 degrees celsius. The adult insects mate right after exiting the cocoon. The female is bigger than the male. She lays her eggs individually in the food source. In the best conditions, she will lay up to 80 eggs. The larvae is hairy and oval. While young, it is a yellow colour and will turn to rust colour when it becomes an adult. The larvae has intense patches of fuzz on it's thorax. The optimal temperature for development is 30 degrees celsius and a humidity level of 70%. The growth period is at its shortest 30 days but can last till 45 days.The larvae sheds numerous times during growth, it sheds even more when the climate isn't good.