The litter beetle (also called the lesser mealworm beetle) is a common pest associated with commercial (and sometimes backyard) poultry where they can be abundant in the poultry litter or manure. Beetle populations can reach high levels in both caged and cage-free housing systems. Immature beetles can cause significant structural damage to poultry housing. Adult and immature beetles can also be a direct threat to bird health in cage-free systems because they can carry several pathogens of poultry.