Bug FAQHairy Fungus Beetle
Typhaea stercorea · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Mycetophagidae
Source: Wikipedia
The hairy fungus beetle is a tiny, brown, oval beetle about 2.2 to 3 mm long with a flattened body and fine hairs on its wing covers. It lives in damp, moldy grain, hay, tobacco and similar stored products, and its presence signals poor storage conditions.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its antennae have three segments and the head can be seen from above, helping to separate it from similar beetles.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure between 2.2 and 3.0 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Finding them in stored grain indicates that the storage conditions are poor.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on moldy or damp foods, including cereals, tobacco, peanuts, hay, and the fungi that grow on them.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
At 25 °C and 80-90 % humidity, development from egg to adult takes about three weeks to a little over a month. Both larvae and adults move quickly; adults can also fly well.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is cosmopolitan and belongs to the family Mycetophagidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The three-segmented antennae and visible head help tell it apart from other small beetles with similar hair-lined elytra.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Indiana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Why are hairy fungus beetles showing up in my pantry?
They appear when stored grain or other pantry foods become damp and moldy, which signals that the storage conditions are not ideal.
Source: Wikipedia
What do hairy fungus beetles eat?
They feed on moldy cereals, tobacco, peanuts, hay, and the fungi that grow on these damp foods.
Source: Wikipedia
How long does it take for them to develop?
Under warm (25 °C) and humid (80-90 % RH) conditions, they develop from egg to adult in about three to five weeks.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell this beetle apart from similar ones?
Look for three-segmented antennae and a head that is visible from above; these features distinguish it from other small, hairy beetles.
Source: Wikipedia
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhaea_stercorea
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.