Top 4 Uncommon Stored Pests

While you may not find these pests in your home, they can still become a serious problem wherever meats or cheese are processed, dried, smoked, or stored.

Larder Beetle – (Dermestes lardarius) This pest feeds on ham, bacon, other meats, cheese, dried fish, pet food, skins and hides, carcasses, dead insects.

Description: Adult ¼ – 3/8 inch (7-9 mm) in length: dark brown to black with a pale yellow six-spotted band on the back. Fine yellow hairs on the undersurface and legs. Larva hairy with two curved spines at rear.

Redlegged Ham Beetle – (Necrobia rufipes) This pest feeds on meats that are dried or smoked, processed meats, smoked meats (especially hams), cheese, dried fish, bones, broken cans or jars of meat-based products.

Description – Adult 1/8-1/4 inch (3.5 to 7 mm) in length; body is metallic, bluish-green with reddish legs and antenna.

Cheese Mite – (Tyrolichus easel) This mite feeds primarily on cheese but also on grains, cereals, seeds, dried fruit and other items.

Description: Adult about 1/64 inch, almost microscopic. May be visible only when large numbers are present. Color translucent with tan legs and mouth parts.

Cheese/Ham Skipper – (Piophila casei) This fly feeds on overripe and moldy cheese, ham, bacon, or beef steaks that are rotting or salted, bones, smoked or salted fish, and carcasses.

Description: Adult fly about half the size of a house fly, 1/8 – 3/16 inch (4-5 mm) in length. Shiny black with bronze thorax and yellow face, mouth parts, and antennae; reddish-brown eyes. Larva is a whitish maggot.