Shiny Spider Beetle

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What Is A Shiny Spider Beetle?

Shiny spider beetles are tiny beetles that resemble mites or even bed bugs. As a result they can be a cause for alarm if spotted. This cosmopolitan insect species is well-established in Western states like California as well as in New York City, but can be found all over the United States and Canada. 

They are considered a minor pest of stored foods and eat away at natural fabrics in your home. They can chew through food packaging of most dried food and will spoil any food they encounter by leaving behind body parts, fecal matter and pupal cases behind in the dried food.

What Does A Shiny Spider Beetle Look Like?

Shiny Spider Beetles are hump-backed, reddish-brown beetles that are about 1.5 to 4 millimeters in length. They have hairless bodies, hence the shiny moniker. They are active at night, spending the day in cracks and crevices near food sources.

Where Are Shiny Spider Beetle Habitats?

You will most likely come across them near dried food in cabinets, and anywhere damp, especially where there might be food damaged by moisture. You might find them within walls and attics, in bakeries, granaries, latrines and rodent and bird nests. They tolerate cold well and can be found in temperatures below freezing. Additionally, they can stay alive for long periods without food.  

What Do Shiny Spider Beetles Eat?

Shiny spider beetles will feed on a variety of cereals like wheat, bran and seeds, baby food, stale bread, dog food and treats, decaying animal and vegetable waste and cayenne pepper. Large infestations have been found in old homes and apartment buildings where shiny spider beetles feast on woolens, fabrics and paper. Shiny spider beetles are known to thrive on narcotics like opium and opium cake. 

Are Shiny Spider Beetles Dangerous?

While not a threat to humans in the sense that they do not bite or sting and have no venom, shiny spider beetles can infest food sources and do damage in the form of spoilage. Not only will they leave feces and body parts behind in infested food, they lay their eggs in any manner of dry animal and organic matter including dried stored foods. Shiny spider beetle larvae bore holes in which to pupate, damaging packaging as well as spoiling food stuffs. 

Find A Pest Specialist For Beetle Control

If you are concerned about beetle control for your home, please give us a call or fill out the form on this page. PestControlExperts.com is a team of experts who are highly qualified to provide the best recommendations for you and your home, no matter which part of the United States you live in.