Global InformationLasioderma serricorne information
| Lasioderma serricorne | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Ptinidae |
| Genus: | Lasioderma |
| Species: | L. serricorne
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| Binomial name | |
| Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius, 1792)
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| Synonyms | |
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Lasioderma serricorne, more commonly referred to as the cigarette beetle, cigar beetle, or tobacco beetle, is a small beetle that shares a remarkable resemblance with the drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum) and the common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum). The cigarette beetle, along with the drugstore and furniture beetles, all belong to the Ptinidae beetle family. The cigarette beetle can be distinguished from A. punctatum by its flatter thorax, whereas the A. punctatum boasts a humped thorax. The cigarette beetle can be further differentiated from S. paniceum with its uniformly serrated antennae composed of 11 segments, unlike the three-segmented antennae of S. paniceum. Additionally, L. serricorne has more shallow grooves in its elytra, or hardened wing covers, compared to the A. punctatum and S. paniceum’s deep grooving.
In addition to cigarette beetle, other common names for L. serricorne include “tobacco bug,” “tobacco borer,” “tobacco weevil” and “cheroot beetle”.[1] Lastly, another common name for the species is “tow bug,” after the species’ tendency to feed on upholstery fillings such as tow, hemp, and flax.[2]
The cigarette beetle measures between 2 to 3 mm in length, making the cigarette beetle relatively small. The cigarette beetle is characterized by its brown coloration. Despite its diminutive size, the cigarette beetle is a significant pest in tobacco related industries for which it gets its namesake. Beyond tobacco, the cigarette beetle will infest most dry goods, including cereals, dried fruits, herbs, flour, and certain animal products.[3]
Geographically, L. serricorne is naturally found in pan-tropical regions, but they have been distributed all over the world through the dried goods trade. The distribution and success of reproduction of the species is heavily tied to their environment. Larvae of the cigarette beetle require temperatures between 15 °C and 40 °C in order to successfully hatch, with the most optimal range for fecundity being between 30 °C and 33 °C. While the cigarette beetle can be found globally, this temperature preference allows the species to thrive best in tropical zones where temperature conditions are most suitable to this ideal range.[4]
The cigarette beetle also has strong flight capability, which contributes to its migration pattern. This ability to move efficiently between infested food sources to uninfested food sources greatly contributes to the species’ success as a pest and its geographic range.[5]
The primary food source for this species includes the stored commodities they infest, such as spices, seeds, rice, cereals, and most notably, dried tobacco leaves. [6]The food source of the cigarette beetle significantly influences fecundity, developmental time, survival rates, and body weight. Interestingly, the lowest fecundity was reported with tobacco leaves as a food source, while flour produced the highest fecundity.[7]
- ^ Maxwell-Lefroy, Harold (1906). Indian Insect Pests. Office of the Superintendent of government printing.
- ^ Hartnack, Hugo. "202 Common Household Pests of North America." 202 Common Household Pests of North America. (1939).
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