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    Tribolium Castaneum

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    Mayuri Vohra
    Tribolium castaneum, or the rust-red flour beetle, is a common cosmopolitan pest found in flour mills. It has a 6 week lifecycle from egg to adult, going through larval and pupal stages. As an adult, it is a small reddish-brown beetle that can destroy grain products, turning flour grey and moldy. Management requires thorough cleaning to remove any infested materials and sealing grain products to prevent reinfestation.

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    Tribolium Castaneum

    Uploaded by

    Mayuri Vohra
    391 views7 pages
    Tribolium castaneum, or the rust-red flour beetle, is a common cosmopolitan pest found in flour mills. It has a 6 week lifecycle from egg to adult, going through larval and pupal stages. As an adult, it is a small reddish-brown beetle that can destroy grain products, turning flour grey and moldy. Management requires thorough cleaning to remove any infested materials and sealing grain products to prevent reinfestation.

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    Tribolium castaneum

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    Tribolium castaneum

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    Tribolium castaneum, or the rust-red flour beetle, is a common cosmopolitan pest found in flour mills. It has a 6 week lifecycle from egg to adult, going through larval and pupal stages. As an adult, it is a small reddish-brown beetle that can destroy grain products, turning flour grey and moldy. Management requires thorough cleaning to remove any infested materials and sealing grain products to prevent reinfestation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    391 views7 pages

    Tribolium Castaneum

    Uploaded by

    Mayuri Vohra
    Tribolium castaneum, or the rust-red flour beetle, is a common cosmopolitan pest found in flour mills. It has a 6 week lifecycle from egg to adult, going through larval and pupal stages. As an adult, it is a small reddish-brown beetle that can destroy grain products, turning flour grey and moldy. Management requires thorough cleaning to remove any infested materials and sealing grain products to prevent reinfestation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    Tribolium castaneum

    Morphology, life cycle, damage caused and control


    Tribolium castaneum
    (Rust-Red Flour Beetle )

    Cosmopolitan distribution
    abundant in flour mills

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Arthropoda

    Class: Insecta

    Order: Coleoptera

    Family: Tenebrionidae

    Genus: Tribolium

    Species: casteneum
    Adults:
    very active
    small
    reddish brown beetle
    3.5 mm in length
    1.2mm wide
    antennae bent, with a distinct club
    males smaller than females
    • The total life cycle from egg to the emergence of adult takes about 6 weeks

    • A female beetle lay about 400-500 eggs


    • Eggs are laid singly in flour and dust of the grains
    • The eggs are minute, slender, and cylindrical in shape, rounded at both ends and of whitish colour.
    •The incubation period varies from 5 to 12 days, depending on temperature
    • surface of freshly laid eggs is sticky, flour adheres making a white cover

    • The freshly hatched grub is small, worm like, 1 mm long


    • slender, cylindrical ,wiry in appearance and pale yellowish in colour
    • becomes reddish yellow and hairy as it matures and upto 6mm long
    • The body segments have a number of fine hairs
    • The larval period varies from 27 to 29 days
    • negatively phototactic, hidden in flour
    • 6-7 mountings
    Pupation takes place generally on the surface of the food.
    puparium is made in flour with help of salivary secretion
    • The pupa is naked.

    • At first it is white but gradually becomes yellowish.

    • Pupal stage lasts for 5-9 days

    • The body of the adult beetle is flattened reddish-brown in colour.


    • The head, thorax and abdomen are distinct.
    • The total life cycle from egg to the emergence of adult takes about six weeks
    Damage
    • This pest is found infesting all stored products like seeds, grains,
    flour, dry fruits, nuts, oil cakes etc.
    • Neither the larva nor the adult can generally damage sound grains,
    but they feed on those grains only which have already been
    damaged by other insect pests.
    • completely destroy the grain,converting it to powdery substance
    • This is a serious pest of prepared cereal products such as atta, maid
    and suji and is found in abundance in flour mills.
    • flour turns greyish and mouldy, pungent smell,
    Management
    • The first step in managing an infestation is to find and remove the source of the infestation .

    • cleaning is a crucial part of controlling these pests.

    • Be sure to locate all infested material and discard it by placing the material into a 

    sealed bag or container and throwing it into an outside garbage container.

    • inspect spices, pet food, and flower arrangements.

    • Once all of the infested material has been removed, be sure to vacuum and clean up the area around the
    infestation.

    • If you have shelf paper, it would be wise to remove it, thoroughly clean under it with soap and hot water, and
    replace it with new paper.

    • Be sure to pay close attention to the cracks and crevices of any cabinets.

    • To prevent re-infestation, all grain products should be stored in containers with tight fitting lids, or stored in
    the freezer.

    fumigants:
    methyl bromide, ethylene bromide,ethylene dichloride, carbon tetrachloride.

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