Minute brown scavenger beetle); literally “tiny Latridius.”

Minute brown scavenger beetle, Latridius minutus, is a tiny, pyriform species measuring 1.2–2.0 mm. The head and prothorax are much narrower than the elytra, producing a distinctly tapered forebody. The prothorax and elytra show a clear microsculpture. Antennae are clavate, ending in a defined club. Adults are minute and brown. Larvae are elongate, pale yellowish, with a distinct head capsule and paired urogomphi at the abdominal apex. There is no established French common name.

This is a mycetophagous, secondary pest of stored grain: adults and larvae do not attack kernels, they feed on microfungi on grain surfaces. Its presence indicates elevated grain moisture and poor aeration. By grazing and moving through the bulk, it disperses spores and hyphae, intensifies mold development, and fosters localized hot spots via fungal respiration. Resulting damage is indirect: caking/bridging of the grain mass, musty odors, kernel discoloration, loss of seed vigor and germination, increased fines/dust, and heightened risk of mycotoxin contamination. Lots may be downgraded or rejected due to moldy kernels, off-odors, and insect fragments—despite minimal direct feeding injury.

Typical signs of infestation by Latridius minutus (minute brown scavenger beetle) in stored grain are those associated with fungal growth: damp, caked kernels with visible mycelium and sporulation, often with a musty odor. You may see minute brown beetles aggregated in moist pockets, fines, or under crusts, especially where condensation occurs. Larvae and adults are mycophagous; activity is concentrated on moldy kernels, with feeding on fungal mats rather than on the grain itself. Shed exuviae and small accumulations of dead beetles can appear in these humid zones. In practice, any observation of moldy grain or conditions that favor fungal development is a strong indicator of potential L. minutus presence.

Minute brown scavenger beetle (Latridius minutus). Females oviposit directly within stored commodities. Eggs hatch into active, freely wandering larvae that disperse through the bulk. Both larvae and adults are mycophagous, feeding on fungal spores and mold hyphae; they do not attack intact grain. After completing larval development, pupation occurs in situ within the food matrix, followed by adult emergence and mating, closing the cycle. Infestations therefore mirror moisture-driven mold growth rather than grain quality itself.

Prefers hygrophilous, mycetophagous habitats in stored-grain ecosystems: cereal products (wheat, oat flour, linseed, flour), decaying plant matter and moldy cheeses; common in granaries, warehouses, manure heaps, buildings and damp cellars.

Species of the genus Cryptophagus: varus Other Cryptophagidae species Cartodere constricta