Saw Toothed Grain Beetle

The Saw Toothed Grain Beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis) is a fast moving dark brown-black beetle (3 mm long) with characteristic sawtooth-like projections on each side of the thorax. They rarely fly. The white, flattened larvae feed and develop externally but are difficult to see. A major, widespread pest of cereal grains, oilseeds, processed products, peanuts and dried fruits. Damage is secondary, as the larvae feed on the damaged and broken kernels with a preference for germ. Larvae also attack germ in the whole cereal grains, changing the nutritional content and reducing the percentage germination.