Field Assessments to Control the Lesser Mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Using Diatomaceous Earth in Poultry Houses.

Abstract

Control of the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer, 1797 [Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae]) is usually conducted with chemical insecticides, which have limited efficacy as well as environmental and health risks. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is safe and effective in controlling many insects including lesser mealworm. However, little is known of DE efficacy against this pest. Thus, an assessment of DE was conducted for the first time in commercial broiler houses in Brazil, with the aim of developing a strategy for the use of DE in the control of this insect. The efficacy of DE was determinate to a minimum concentration, and the application was directed to the most infested sites. The DE applied to the entire poultry house (280 g/m2) was verified to control the insects. DE was also comparable to chemical treatments, with a reduction of 80% in the insect population. DE controlled the lesser mealworm and is recommended for application at a concentration of 280 g/m2 when applied to the surface of new poultry litter, before the first lot of birds is housed. Thereafter, DE should be reapplied before the housing of each lot of birds, in the same concentration, only in the housing area and under the feeders and near the walls and pillars. In addition to being a control strategy, DE can be an important tool in the management of lesser mealworm insecticide resistance.