Pest Identification

Field Scenario Training

Mixed Infestation in a Commercial Food Storage Facility

Situation

A technician arrives at a large commercial food storage warehouse after reports of unidentified insect activity in the dry goods section. The manager reports seeing small insects near pallets of bagged flour and grains. During the inspection, the technician discovers two distinct types of insect activity: small, reddish-brown beetles crawling in the gaps of wooden pallets and translucent, shed larval skins on the surface of several stacked cardboard boxes, along with small, web-like residues in the corners of the storage racks.

Your Task

The technician must accurately identify both the beetle species and the source of the larval skins/webbing, explain the behavioral differences between these two pests, and determine if the treatment strategy should differ for each pest identified.

Your Response