Common name : Sigmoid fungus beetle
Scientific name : Cryptophagus varus
Family : Cryptophagidae
Native to : Worldwide distribution
Interesting fact : Hardly 2-3 mm in length, this beetle is extremely small with a thorax that is sculptured with teeth.
Small and reddish-brown in colour, the sigmoid fungus beetle infests cereal, grains, bran, rice, oats, dried fruit, etc. However, neither the beetle nor its larvae cause direct damage to these grains or commodities. They feed on the micro-organisms and fungal spores associated with these food-items. The female lays eggs on or near the fungal spores and hyphae. These insects can be found in granaries, mills, cellars, warehouses, etc.
