Question: I have these little bugs, mostly in the kitchen on the counters.
The counter is covered every morning with these little (about 1/8 of an
inch)bugs. They have a hard shell, they dont move very fast and have six
little legs. I put some in a ziplock baggy at 6 a.m and at 5 p.m they
were still alive. Would you have an idea of what kind of bug these are?
I live in west central ohio.
ANSWER Probably what you have seen in the cabinets is one of the several species of beetles that infest flour and meal. As a group, they are often called Stored Product Beetles. There are several species, including the saw-toothed grain beetle, drugstore beetle, confused flour beetle, and cigarette beetle.
Stored product beetles are common in nearly all households. Sometimes their numbers increase dramatically. They will infest a variety of food material, including flour, mixes, spices, noodles, and other grain or flour-based material.
The best control is to remove everything from the cabinets. Inspect all of the food packages and discard what is infested. Then vacuum the cabinets very well.
