Oblong to oval in shape, ca. 1.6-3 mm long and 0.9-1.7 mm wide. The pronotum is dark brown to black and the elytra typically have reddish brown and darker markings but these may be faint or absent. The upper surface is covered in fine hairs. The antennae usually consist of 11 segments but may have 9 or 10 in some cases. The club consists of 3-5 segments. The antennae fit into a groove in the underside of the prothorax.
After hatching larvae are 1.6-1.8 mm long and uniformly yellowish white, with a tail of long hairs on the last body segment. As larvae mature they become golden to reddish brown and covered in hairs. Mature larvae reach 6 mm in length.
Cylindrical, ca. 0.7 x 0.25 mm in size and milky white in colour, becoming pale yellowish with age. Laid singly or in small groups on or near a food resource.
Larvae crawl over and feed on grains and other stored products, especially in cracks and crevices. Young larvae feed on damaged grain while later instars are able to feed on whole grains. The presence of cast larval skins
(exuviae) is a sign of infestation. Larvae enter diapause when temperatures drop and feed and develop in humidity as low as 2%
