Lesser Grain Borer
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© CSIRO
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Rhyzopertha
- Species
- dominica
- Subfamily
- Dinoderinae
- Family
- Bostrichidae
- Super Family
- Bostrichidoidea
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 3 mm
Introduction
The Lesser Grain Borer is the biggest pest of stored grain in Australia but is not an Australian native. It arrived here before quarantine controls were in place.
Habitat
The Lesser Grain Borer lives in stored grain silos and warehouses.
Distribution
The Lesser Grain Borer is found throughout Australia.
Feeding and diet
Female Lesser Grain Borers lay eggs on a variety of stored grains including wheat, rice and corn. On hatching, the small white grub-like larvae chew their way into the grain to complete the rest of their development. While they are eating the inside of the grain, they push faecal pellets out of the grain. This creates a huge build-up of faeces in the stored grain. After pupating, the adult beetles continue to eat the grain and can fly off to infest other stores. Many thousands of tonnes of stored grain are lost to this beetle every year in Australia alone.
Economic impacts
Many thousands of tonnes of stored grain are lost to this beetle every year in Australia alone.
