The larvae can bore into packages to find food. The entire life cycle, from egg to adult, takes about 7 months. There may be one to four generations per year. The spider beetles are appropriately named. They feed on a variety of plant and animal products and have been known to attack flour, feeds, cereals, grains, seeds, dried fruits, meats, wool, hair and miscellaneous foodstuffs.
Most spider beetles have two or three generations per year.
When purchasing packaged food, be certain the containers are not broken or unsealed and that there are no signs of infestation. Check the packages for freshness dates. Once the food is in the home, use older packages before newer ones, and opened ones before unopened ones. Storing died foods in a freezer will prevent insect development. Control of both of these pests is fairly easy, once the source of infestation is found.