Cold hardiness of black carpet beetle larvae

Abstract

In North America, the black carpet beetle, Attagenus unicolor (Brahm) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), is a common household insect pest that feeds on many animal-origin and grain products. It overwinters as a larva, and the entire life cycle generally takes about 1 year. No information exists on its overwintering biology or cold hardiness (Fields 1992). In this experiment, the supercooling point (SCP) and survival rate of initially overwintering A. unicolor larvae collected in the nests of tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot) (Aves: Hirundinidae), were measured. Changes in SCP and cold hardiness were determined for larvae held at 15 and –15°C. The cold hardiness of A. unicolor larvae collected from a feed mill in British Columbia was also measured.