Khapra beetle: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the khapra beetle lives – recorded in 3 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Trogoderma granarium
Group	Beetles
Found in	3 countries
Continents	Asia, Europe
Class	Insect
Order	Coleoptera
Family	Dermestidae

Where does the khapra beetle live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the khapra beetle in 3 countries and territories across Asia and Europe. In Sweden it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Israel
Sweden (introduced)
Pakistan

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

What kind of animal is the khapra beetle?

The khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is an insect in the order Coleoptera and the family Dermestidae, genus Trogoderma. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the khapra beetle

The khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), also called cabinet beetle, is a species of beetle that originated in South Asia. It is one of the world's most destructive pests of grain products and seeds. It is considered one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. Infestations are difficult to control because of the insect's ability to survive without food for long periods, its preference for dry conditions and low-moisture food, and its resistance to many insecticides. There is a federal quarantine restricting the importation of rice into the U.S. from countries with known infestations of the beetle. Khapra beetle infestation can spoil otherwise valuable trade goods and threaten significant economic losses if introduced to a new area. Handling or consuming contaminated grain and seed products can lead to health issues such as skin irritation and gastrointestinal distress.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Khapra beetle (revision 1370545058), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q1314339 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).