Several species are agricultural pests, typically causing feeding damage to a variety of fruits, grains and other food products worldwide.

[3] Adult Carpophilus are oblong-shaped beetles roughly 3 mm in length and black, brown or mottled yellow in colour.

[1] Larval Carpophilus are yellowish with a brown head and a pair of urogomphi (giving the appearance of a forked tail).

[2] Carpophilus can overwinter in the mature larva, pupa or adult stages, and does so in fruit, stored products, soil or in cracks or under bark of trees.

Several species of Carpophilus are pests of various fruits (including stone fruit, citrus, persimmons, apples and figs)[1] and stored products (including corn, cornmeal, bread, wheat, oats, rice, sugar, beans, peanuts, nuts, cottonseed, copra, spices, drugs, and honey).