Pests of Storage_Identification_Dr.UPR.pdf

InIndia-post-harvestlosses-unscientificstorage,insects,rodents,micro-organismsetc.,accountforabout10percentoftotalfoodgrains
Graininfestation
Directdamage
Indirectly
•theexuviae,skin,deadinsects
•theirexcretawhichmakefoodunfitforhumanconsumption
About600speciesofinsectshavebeenassociatedwithstoredgrainproducts
100speciesofinsectpestsofstoredproductscauseeconomiclosses

1. Pests of Stored Products
By
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD.
Assistant Professor (Entomology)
JSACAT
Affiliated to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

2. InIndia-post-harvestlosses-unscientificstorage,insects,rodents,micro-organisms
etc.,accountforabout10percentoftotalfoodgrains
Graininfestation
Directdamage
Indirectly
•theexuviae,skin,deadinsects
•theirexcretawhichmakefoodunfitforhumanconsumption
About600speciesofinsectshavebeenassociatedwithstoredgrainproducts
100speciesofinsectpestsofstoredproductscauseeconomiclosses
Introduction
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

3. Primary storage pests
Internal feeders -Feeding whole
grain
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

4. Rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, S. zeamais, S.
granarius, Curculionidae, Coleoptera
1
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Wheat, rice, maize, cholam, paddy
Nature of damage
Both grub and adult cause irregular holes
Grains are hollowed out

5. Adult
Small, reddish brown to chocolate coloured
weevil
Characteristic snout, and elbowed antennae-
slightly clubbed
Elytra with four yellow spots
Hind wings absent in S. granarius(not found
in India)
S. zeamaisis largest among three species
E
L
PA
4-5d
20d
3-6d
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

6. Lesser grain borer/Hooded grain borer/paddy borer beetle,
Rhyzoperthadominica, Bostrychidae, Coleoptera
2
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Paddy, rice, wheat, maize
Nature of damage
Grubs and adults cause damage

7. Prefers paddy to rice
Attacks grains with moisture even lesser than 8 %.
Prefers hotter conditions (32-34
o
C)
Presence of round tunnels (1mm) in grains, frass,
shelled grains and foul smell, heating
Pupates inside grain
E
L
PA
4-6d
28-56d
7-8d
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

8. Adult:
Brown to blackish beetle
Head -deflexed downwards below prothorax
-almost hidden in a dorsal view
Prominent constriction between prothorax
and elytra
Antenna clubbed with large loose three
segments
Elytra have regular rows of punctures and
short setae
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

9. Cigarette beetle, Lasiodermasericorne, Anobiidae,
Coleoptera
3
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Wheat flour, cereal bran, peanuts, cocoa
beans, cotton seed, spices, meat, fishmeal,
ginger, turmeric and chillies
Nature of damage
Grub causes damage

10. Total Life cycle: 30-50 days, 6 gen./ year
Damage: Circular pinhead sized bore holes on
processed tobacco, caused by grubs
Grubs-Hairy, fleshy, white
Small, robust, oval, light brown
Round beetle with thorax and head bent downward;
gives insect a humped appearance
Elytra have minute hairs on them and are not striated
Antenna serrated
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

11. Drug store beetle, Stegobiumpaniceum, Anobiidae,
Coleoptera
4
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Turmeric, coriander, ginger, dry vegetable and
animal matter
Nature of damage
Grub causes damage
Adult
Reddish brown round beetle with striated
elytra and hairs absent
Loose clubbed antenna

12. Cigarette beetle
Hairs present,
Striations absent
Drug store beetle
Striations present,
Hairs absent
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

13. Pulse beetle, Callosobruchuschinensis,
C. maculatus, Bruchidae, Coleoptera
5
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
All whole pulses, beans and grams
Nature of damage
Grubs eat up grain kernel and make a cavity
Adults come out making exit holes
Eggs laid singly, glued to surface of grain

14. Damage: Cigar like eggs on grain, circular holes, grubs eat kernel,
adult makes exit holes
Infestations originate from farm stores
the adult beetles can fly half a mile
Carried over pest
Life cycle: E-5d, L-30-50d, P-4d, A-5-20d
Pupates inside grain, beneath seed coat
Adult
Brownish grey beetle with characteristic elevated ivory like spots
near the middle of dorsal side
Small, short, active with long serrate antenna
Elytra do not cover abdomen completely-called as pygidium
Pygidium -black with a central longitudinal white streak
Adults -short lived and do not feed Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

15. Tamarind beetle, Caryedonserratus (Pachymeres
gonagra), Bruchidae, Coleoptera
6
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Groundnut, tamarind seed
Nature of damage
Grub bores into kernels and makes hole on cotyledon
and adult emergence hole seen on pod
Pods-attacked both in field and storage

16. Life cycle: 45 days
Damage: Grubs bore into kernels, cause exit holes
Pupation inside or outside grain
Adult
Small oval shaped, grey coloured beetle with serrate
antenna
Stout hind femur with row of spines
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

17. Sweet potato weevil, Cylasformicarius, Apionidae,
Coleoptera
7
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range:
Sweet potato, few species ofIpomoea
Nature of damage:
Tubers -tunneled, pest of both field and storage

18. Slender bodied with elongate snout, ant like
Bluish brown head, non-geniculate antenna,
bright red thorax andbrownish legs
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

19. Angoumois grain moth or Grain moth, Sitotroga
cerealella, Gelechiidae, Lepidoptera
8
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Paddy, maize, cholam, barley and wheat (rarely)
Not capable of attacking milled rice or other
cereal products
Nature of damage
Only larvae damage grains, adults being
harmless
Grains -hollowed out
Attacks both in fields and stores

20. Life cycle: E-4-30d, L-24d, P-7d
Damage-Grains with circular
emergence holes with characteristic
flap/ door. Larvae damage grains
Eggs mostly laid on surface of damp
grains
Pupatesinside grain
Adult -Dirty yellowish brown with
narrow pointed wings completely folded
over back in a sloping manner
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

21. Comparison of emergence holes made by grain borers
A -Emergence hole of S. cerealella
B -R. dominica
C -S. oryzae
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

22. Potato tuber moth, Pthorimaeaoperculella,
Gelechiidae, Lepidoptera
9
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Potato, tomato, brinjal, sugar beet
Nature of damage
Field andstorage pest, Tunneledtubers,
Galleries and excreta seen on damaged tubers
Adult
Small moth
Forewings grey brown with dark spots
Hind wings -narrow fringe of hairs

23. Arecanutbeetle, Araecerusfasciculatus, Anthribidae,
Coleoptera
10
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Coffee, cocoa, drying cassava, nuts, spices and roots
Nature of damage
Damage both in field and storage
Eats inner contents of seed and leaves outer coat
Adult
Small brown, resemble bruchid, strong flier
Clubbed antenna. Last 3 segments of antenna form a loose
club
Elytra mottled, last abdomen segment exposed

24. Primary storage pests
External feeders -Feeding
already damaged or fed grains
or processed food
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

25. Rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica, Galleridae,
Lepidoptera
11
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Rice, cholam, other
millets, whole cereals,
cereal products,
pulses
Processed products
of cereals, pulses, oil
seeds, nuts, dry fruits
and milled spices

26. Larva is only responsible for damage
Nature of damage:
Pollutes food grains with frass, moultsand
dense webbing
In case of whole grains, kernels are bound into
lumps up to 2 kg
It is more common in dark stores. Infestation is
normally limited, to upper 45 cmsonly in bulk
grains
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

27. Khaprabeetle, Trogodermagranarium, Dermestidae,
Coleoptera
12
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Wheat, maize, cholam, rice, pulses, oil
seeds and their cakes
Nature of damage
Adults –harmless
Grub damages grain starting with germ
portion, surface scratching and devouring
grain-reduces grain into frass
Egglaid on grains
Pupateson surface of grain or on bags

28. Adult
Reddish brown, convex, oval in shape
Practically no distinct division of head, thorax and
abdomen
Abdomen size-comparatively larger
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

29. Rust red flour beetle, Triboliumcastaneum,
Tenebrionidae, Coleoptera
Confused flour beetle, Triboliumconfusum,
Tenebrionidae, Coleoptera
13
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
Broken grains/ mechanically damaged grains, germ
portion and milled products
Distribution -This pest is cosmopolitan in warmer
countries
Pest status -A serious secondary pest throughout the
warmer parts of the world in food stores

30. Nature of damage
Extensive damage to previously holed or broken grains,
or grain damaged by other pests
Damage is done by both larvae and adults
Un-like the red flour beetle, the confused flour beetle is
more common in flour mills than elsewhere and the
adults do not fly
Grubs whitish cream coloured feed on milled products,
construct tunnels
Grubs release gaseous quinines -cause acidic odour
Life history: The life period from egg to adult is 35 days
at 30°C
T. castaneum-Adults fly in large numbers in the late
afternoon
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

31. Adult
Oblong, flat, brown in colour
T. confusum
Compound eyes -completely notched
Antennae -not gradually thickened
T. castaneum
Notch -not complete
Antennae have a clear 3-segmented
club
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

32. Indian meal moth, Plodiainterpunctella, Phycitidae,
Lepidoptera
14
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
•Maize, cereals, dried fruits, groundnut and cereal products
Nature of damage:
•Larva prefers to eat germ and contaminates grain with excreta, cast
skins, webbings, dead individuals and cocoons
•The direct damage-especially the germinal part of grains-is the
primary damage, but the secondary damage -contamination of
foodstuffs with larvae, frassand silk webbing
Distribution: Worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, and in some parts of the temperate
regions where temperatures exceed 20°C

33. Fig or Almond or Warehouse moth, Cadra(Ephestia)
cautella, Phycitidae, Lepidoptera
15
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range:
•Wheat, rice, maize, groundnut, spices, dried fruits
Nature of damage:
•Larva feeds on germ portion
•Webbing in the grain and on the surface of bags, with
cocoons between adjacent surfaces
Distribution: Cosmopolitan in tropical and warm
temperate areas of the world

34. Life history: The life-cycle at 28°C and 70% RH is 6-8
weeks; breeding may be continuous so long as
conditions are suitable
The adult moth is greyishwith rather indistinct markings
on the wings
It is about 13 mm long. When at rest the wings are
folded along the abdomen
The adult moths live for less than two weeks
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

35. Secondary storage pests –
Insect that feed on stored products
already damaged by primary pests
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

36. Saw toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus
surinamensis, Cucujidae, Coleoptera
16
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range
•Rice, wheat, maize, cereal products, oil seeds and
dry fruits
Nature of damage
•Adultsandgrubcauserougheningofgrainsurface
•Thesebeetlesareusuallysecondarypestsonstored
products,followingthemoredestructiveprimary
pestssuchasGrainWeevilsandpyralidmoths
O. surinamensisis more frequently found on cereal products
O. mercatoron oil-seed products
Cosmopolitan in distribution

37. Adult:
•Narrow, flattened
•Thorax having six teeth like serrations on each
side
•Antenna clubbed
•Elytra cover abdomen completely
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)

38. Long headed flour beetle, Latheticusoryzae,
Tenebrionidae, Coleoptera
17
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range: Storage sorghum, wheat etc.
Adult -Resembles Tribolium, Pale and brighter than Tribolium

39. Flat grain beetle, Cryptolestusminutus, Cucujidae,
Coleoptera
18
Dr. U. Pirithiraj, P.hD. (Entomology)
Host range:
•Broken grains
Adult:
•Similar to Latheticus
•Antenna long