*4.6.19 Museum beetle (*Anthrenus museorum *(Linnaeus, 1761) Coleoptera: Dermestidae)*

*Distribution:* Museum beetle is mainly found in Palearctic areas including Europe, the Nearctic, and the Near East.

*Host range*: This pest mainly prefers flour, cheese, or cocoa.

*Bionomics:* The museum beetle is black, having yellowish and whitish scales on its body. Almost 50 eggs are oviposited inside grains and the larvae are mainly 4.5 mm in length and bear active hairs, hence commonly referred to as a hairy grub. The dorsal surface of the prothorax is brown in color. It possesses 3 pairs of long antennae at its rear end. The adult is about 2–4 mm in length. It is round in shape. After mating females lay eggs in carpets, flooring, to hide the eggs and to provide food supply to the larva. They are found in stored grain containers but their damage-causing status is very poorly reported.

*Damage symptoms*: As far as the damage is concerned larva are highly damaging and they mainly destroy all forms of dry grains and flour.

#### *4.6.20 Two-branded fungus beetle*

*Distribution*: The two-branded fungus beetle (Coleoptera: Endomychidae) is cosmopolitan in distribution.

*Host range*: They mainly feed on fungus and molds and are also frequently found in mills, granaries, storehouses, etc.

*Bionomics:* The two-branded fungus beetle is small, cosmopolitan, reddishbrown in color with two broad black bands across the wings. Although, feeding on fungi and molds but are also frequently found in mills, granaries, storehouses, etc. Eggs are commonly laid inside infested or damaged grains and the larvae are voracious feeders and spoil grains and cereals.

*Damage symptoms*: The larvae are voracious feeders and spoil grains and cereals, reducing their quality and quantity status.

### *4.6.21 Black fungus beetle (*Alphitobius laevigatus *(Fabricius, 1781) Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)*

*Distribution*: Black fungus beetle is cosmopolitan in nature, found all around the world.

*Host range*: This pest feeds on a large variety of stored products and is also a fungal feeder. It is a secondary pest which means it enhances the damage caused by primary pests.

*Bionomics*: The black fungus beetle is small, with a black or reddish-brown colored body. They frequently feed and breed in damp moldy grains. Adults are almost 5–7 mm. Based on the lateral view of eyes; adults can be easily distinguished from lesser mealworms. Larval is cylinder-shaped and is yellowish-brown in color. The larva is active and moves quickly towards the food sources.

*Damage symptoms*: Being a secondary pest it does not directly attack the grains but causes damage in presence of the primary pest. Its presence indicates poor storage and poor sanitation conditions.
