Knowledgebase
Indoor insect ID #818350
Asked January 09, 2023, 8:21 PM EST
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately the clarity and resolution of the picture you submitted does not enable me to identify this insect with a high degree of confidence. I can only make an educated guess as to what it is. I believe that this is a yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor). It is common in Minnesota dwellings, especially during the winter months. It is attracted to food scraps, especially grain products. Even though you attempt to keep your kitchen neat and tidy with food securely stored, these beetles can still appear. They seem to have a knack for finding the smallest of food morsels. These beetles come from mealworm larvae. These larvae can be carried in from the outside in a variety of ways. Pet food is notorious for harboring these larvae that may have been mixed in with the food during processing. Use your vacuum cleaner to suck up these beetles. Hopefully they should disappear within a couple of weeks. See the following for further information:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/101010
https://www.macalester.edu/ordway/biodiversity/inventory/mealwormbeetle/
Good luck and thank you for using our forum.
Thank you for the update. Your right, they kind of just disappeared altogether in about 7 to 10 days. We were pretty sure they weren't baby cockroaches, thank goodness and I sure appreciate your feedback.
Stay warm!
Eileen
Thanks for your response. Glad to have been of assistance. Keep those food containers tightly secured! Good Luck