Litter Beetle (Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer) Counts in Broiler Houses Treated with a Range of Insecticides

Abstract

Hess, J.B., Macklin, K.S. and McCrea, B.A. 2008. Litter beetle (Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer) counts in broiler houses treated with a range of insecticides. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 33:127–131. Litter beetles (Alphitobious diaperinus Panzer) remain an important poultry production pest on several fronts. They have been shown to damage poultry houses and harbor pathogens that affect people and poultry. This trial examined beetle counts in commercial broiler houses treated with l of 2 insecticide treatments, applied dry or wet. Three levels of dry (12.20, 15.26 and 18.31 g/m2) and one level of liquid application of an organophosphate (Rabon) and pyrethroid (Tempo) dry (1% dust) and wet (20% Wettable powder) were compared to an untreated control house across one growout. Six pvc pipes (2.5 cm wide by 25 cm long) were filled with a rolled up piece of chick paper. They were placed in each house for 3 d period during brooding, at 3 wk of age and prior to marketing the birds. The tubes were placed in plastic bags and refrigerated for 24 h prior to counting larval and adult litter beetles. All treatments reduced larval and adult litter beetles in relation to the untreated control house. The organophosphate did not reduce adult beetle numbers as quickly as pyrethroid, but showed good control by the 3rd week. As expected, the 15.26 and 18.31 g/m2 application rates of the organophosphate reduced beetle numbers, while the 12.20 g level did not control beetles as well. Products applied dry showed better control than those applied as a liquid, with larvae levels increasing as the flock aged in the liquid treatment. The products tested controlled litter beetles at suggested application rates, with dry applications showing better control than liquid applications.