Spotted hairy fungus beetle
Scientific name
Mycetophagus quadriguttatus (Müller)
Classification
Secondary pest; fungal feeder
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Mycetophagidae
Acronym: MQU
Description
- Adults are generally dark brown and have bi-coloured elytra with yellowish to reddish spots.
- Adults are small (3.3 to 4.0 mm long) and have a pair of deep, oval pits near the base of the pronotum.
Images
Similar species
- Silken fungus beetles (Cryptophagus spp, Atomaria spp.)
- Hairy fungus beetle (Typhaea stercorea)
Commodities affected
- Does not feed on commodity, rather it feeds on associated microorganisms
- May infest cereal grains, wheat, barley, oats, bran, rice, flour, bread, dried fruit, mouldy plant and animal materials
Signs of infestation
- Mouldy, damp grain is often indicative of the presence of the beetles rather than the other way around
Damage
- Both adults and larvae feed on fungal spores and hyphae and do not cause direct damage to the commodity
- Adults are capable of transmitting fungal spores and may promote excessive mould growth in storage
How to control
Geographic range
- Is found in Europe and North America, and across Canada
- Is fairly common across the prairie provinces
Where found
- Is reported from grain elevators, granaries, mills, warehouses, waste feed, sacked grain
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