| This beetle has a dark brown body that is between 2.5 and 4 mm long. The characteristic feature of the rice weevil is their long snout, however, it can be difficult to tell apart from other species of weevil. The rice weevil feeds on the inside of grain kernels and leave only the shells with a significant hole. The damage caused by the rice weevil often prepares the food stores for further insect infestation due to the increased number of damaged kernels. The adult beetles are unable to fly. The typical lifespan is between 4 to 12 months. The female rice weevil drills a hole in a kernel to lay its eggs inside, which is subsequently sealed. The female beetle will lay up to 150 eggs in the same number of grain kernels. The rice weevil is very resilient to a wide range of temperatures, 15 to 34 C. |
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| How do rice weevils spread? |
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| Like all weevils, rice weevils spread very easily. The most common path of entrance into your home is through contaminated products, which include a variety of grains and cereals and are not limited to rice. When products are contaminated during processing and storage, rice weevils may enter your home unnoticed. If you have a rice weevil infestation, it does not reflect the cleanliness of your home. Rice weevil are also known to be very mobile. If you are in an apartment building, there is a possibility that they could come from neighbouring apartments. |
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| How can I identify rice weevils? |
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| The rice weevil has a dark brown body that is normally between 2.5 and 4 mm long. Weevil's have a characteristically long snout along with the ability to fly. A feature unique to the rice weevil is the four reddish patches on its rear body segment (elytra). The damage that the rice weevil causes is similar to that of other weevils. Larva will eat the endosperm within a kernel, whereas the adult will leave a significant exit hole in the kernel or feast on damaged kernels. If you are having trouble identifying the beetle species, contact us for professional pest control service.
Click here to see a video of rice weevil infested grains.
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| How do I control rice weevils? |
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| As with all pantry pests, the first step in controlling them is to remove their sources of food from your pantry. Seal suspected food sources in a plastic bag and keep an eye on them for up to a month. If you notice any weevils in the sealed bags you should immediately discard the item for two reasons. First, keeping the contaminated food will risk the spread of more rice weevils. Secondly, ingesting rice weevils can lead to an E. coli infection or possibly many other diseases depending on what the weevils have been feeding on. Since rice weevils mainly enter your home through contaminated food products, be careful to not purchase any damaged boxes or bags. Controlling rice weevils can be difficult and a professional pest control expert is often necessary. Call Nimby Pest Management today! |
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| 1-888-681-6266 |
