How to Identify Cigarette Beetles?

Cigarette beetles have tiny oval-shaped bodies, measuring between 2 to 3.5mm in length. In profile, they appear hunched. Similar in appearance to drugstore beetles, the insects are reddish-brown in colour, with serrated antennae.

 Larvae are whitish-yellow larvae, covered in long hairs, and walk thanks to three sets of strong larval legs. Larvae have prominent, brown heads with a C-shaped body as they mature.

Signs of an Infestation

Cigarette beetles stop feeding and reproducing at temperatures below 18° C, so survive Canadian winters by moving into warm buildings, often near areas where food is stored.

 The enter your home through gaps and cracks, seeking a wide range of food, including stored tobacco, spices, nuts, vegetables, avocado, bananas, paper, silk, leather, and glue binding in books.

 As well, females cigarette beetles usually look to lay their eggs in bags of stored food or on top of dried tobacco, since they make perfect food for the larvae when they emerge.

Where do Cigarette Beetles Live?

Generally, carpet beetle larvae prefer dark and secluded places. The insect often burrows in bird nests and other organic materials, such as trees and animal carcasses, when outside. Air ducts, collected lint, dry dog food, wool, and stored grains or spices often serve as both food sources and shelters while larvae grow indoors. Black and common carpet beetles do not fare as well in higher temperatures and are more prominent in Europe, the Northern United States, and Canada. While varied carpet beetles thrive further south, any place with warm buildings suits the insect. Adult carpet beetles prefer sunlight and populate gardens or other plant-heavy locations.

How to Prevent Cigarette Beetles from Invading

Regularly de-cluttering and vacuuming living spaces is a good first step towards cigarette beetle prevention. Try not to tempt the pests by leaving crumbs on the ground or forgetting to close food containers. Avoid keeping tobacco products out in the open and prevent them from falling between couch cushions or onto the floor. Sometimes it’s helpful to treat or caulk crevices and other entry points. Keep an eye on heaters, furnaces, and vents, as cigarette beetles often gather around heat sources. If an infestation occurs, try using ambient cool air to deter the pests, as cigarette beetles stop feeding and reproducing at temperatures below 18° C.

Habitat, Diet, and Life Cycle

Habitat

Cigarette beetles have a wide geographical range but thrive in tropical and subtropical regions. The pests occur in all Canadian provinces. Cigarette beetle activity often occurs near areas where grains or other food is stored.

 Diet

In addition to tobacco, these beetles also eat various plant products as well as animal products. Cigarette beetles consume nuts and vegetables and will even eat through avocado or unripe bananas. These pests feed on the paper and glue binding of books as well as silk & leather clothes in closets and storage chests.

 Life Cycle/Reproduction

The process begins when females lay up to 100 white, oval-shaped eggs within bags of stored food or atop dried tobacco. After one or two weeks, hungry larvae emerge to feed on their surroundings. Within a couple months, the larvae build cocoons and pupate, emerging as adults in about 10 days. Adults live for nearly a month.

Commonly Asked Questions

How worried should I be about cigarette beetles

Cigarette beetles and larvae chew holes through tobacco and contaminate it with their waste, as well as biting and damaging other items like cardboard, packaging, baskets, ropes, and cloth.

 These pests can also leave droppings and cocoons in rice, cereal, and spices, and will even attack medicines. Tiny larvae will crawl across books and clothes.

 Female cigarette beetles can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, so a cigarette beetle infestation can quickly become serious, requiring the help of a professional pest control service.