Separate and combined effects of plant essential oils and X-ray irradiation against the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller

Serangium japonicum is a key predator for whitefly biological control; however, mass rearing using alternative prey such as Ephestia kuehniella eggs may compromise its effectiveness. Although alternative prey are essential for cost-effective production, their nutritional adequacy for maintaining reproductive performance remains poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate how nutritional quality affects S. japonicum reproduction using integrated biological, developmental, and molecular approaches. Alternative prey drastically reduced reproductive output by > 98% compared with natural prey, with only 40% of females successfully ovipositing. Ovarian development analysis revealed a 20-day delay in mature egg formation and severely compromised vitellogenesis. Adult prey-switching experiments demonstrated that nutritional deficiency effects were reversible: females switched from poor to high-quality prey and rapidly resumed reproduction within 24 h, while the reverse switch immediately ceased oviposition. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1229 differentially expressed genes, with 32 significantly down-regulated reproduction-related genes. RNA interference targeting vitellogenin genes SjVg1 and SjVg2 confirmed their essential roles, with gene silencing replicating the reproductive decline observed under poor-quality feeding. Notably, larvae fed alternative prey followed by adults fed natural prey showed 1.8-fold higher fecundity than the controls, suggesting adaptive nutritional compensation. These findings highlight how nutritional stress impairs predator performance and identify molecular targets for designing optimized artificial diets that sustain the biocontrol efficacy of S. japonicum. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study aimed to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous leaf extract of Galega officinalis and to evaluate their insecticidal activity against key stored-product pests. AgNP formation was confirmed through UV-vis spectroscopy, which showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 380 nm. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of plant-derived functional groups likely involved in the reduction and stabilization of Ag+ ions. Dynamic light scattering revealed an average hydrodynamic diameter of 25.07 nm, a PDI of 0.39, and a zeta potential of -22 mV, while TEM images showed predominantly spherical and polydisperse particles ranging from 4.3 to 42.4 nm. Insecticidal bioassays performed on Sitophilus granarius, Tribolium confusum, Plodia interpunctella, and Ephestia kuehniella revealed concentration-dependent mortality. The highest mortality rates were recorded at 1000 ppm, reaching 100% in T. confusum, 83.33% in P. interpunctella, and 76.67% in both S. granarius and E. kuehniella. These findings demonstrate the potent insecticidal activity of G. officinalis-mediated AgNPs and support their potential as environmentally friendly alternatives for stored-product pest management, warranting further studies on safety, large-scale synthesis, and integration into pest-control programs.

Many species of stored product insects have been spread by commerce, a few recently enough to have a written record. The bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller), and Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), have some of the most complete early records. The larger black flour beetle, Cynaeus angustus (LeConte) may have the most complete record of both geographic and host range expansion. The introduction of heated buildings and storage sites has allowed tropical species to establish in temperate climates. The adoption of combine harvesting has increased the prevalence of insect pests requiring grain damage such as the saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.). Relatively few pest introductions result in establishment, but repeated introductions are common, increasing the chances of establishment. Preharvest infestation, diapause, and survival on food residues in the grain marketing system and other foods in natural habitats have increased the likelihood of establishment. Introduction of containerized shipping in the late 1960s may have reduced cross infestation of cargoes, provided containers were fully disinfested prior to loading. Remote monitoring may be necessary as an alternative to opening each container for early detection of infestations. The importance of limiting importation of pesticide resistant strains is mentioned often but there are few papers on practical implementation of such programs. Movement of natural enemies with stored commodities is common and this has resulted in their wide geographical distribution. Knowledge of geographic and host range expansion can be important for development of quarantine and pest management programs.

We reared the predatory bug Orius albidipennis Reuter (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on a diet of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs and bee pollen and subjected separate lines to selection for either increased or decreased fecundity. After 18 generations, we obtained a line with 76% greater egg production compared to unselected controls, with fecundity exhibiting an estimated heritability of 0.10 ± 0.005. The line selected for low fecundity experienced rapid population decline followed by extinction after 6 generations. Compared to controls, the high-fecundity line showed no reduction in longevity or functional response to female Tetranychus urticae as prey, suggesting no inherent tradeoffs in either lifespan or foraging efficiency, which might affect biocontrol efficacy, although this may not hold true in nature where energy demands will be greater than in a laboratory setting. The high-fecundity trait remained stable for 9 generations following relaxation of selection. Although genetic admixture with wild populations, along with unknown selective forces, are likely to eventually dilute trait expression in the field, the high reproductive rate obtained via artificial selection could serve to reduce production costs substantially and improve levels of pest control for several generations post-release in augmentation applications.

ABSTRACT Many species of Mesostigmata soil mites have potential as biological control agents of pests/parasites. This study evaluated the predation potential of two of these species, Gamasellodes lavafesii (Ascidae) and Cosmolaelaps mediocuspis (Laelapidae). The harmful species evaluated as prey were the root‐knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica (Heteroderidae), the gastrointestinal sheep‐parasitic nematode, Haemonchus contortus (Trichostrongylidae), the bulb mite, Rhizoglyphus columbianus (Astigmata: Acaridae) and the sciarid fly, Bradysia matogrossensis (Diptera: Sciaridae). Additionally, five species were tested as potential alternative food sources for the mass rearing of predators: eggs of Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), the mites Glycyphagus destructor (Astigmata: Glycyphagidae), Thyreophagus cracentiseta and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Astigmata: Acaridae), and the free‐living nematode Rhabditella axei (Rhabditidae). Daily predation rates (by female) between the predators did not differ when M. javanica was offered (≅240–245 second‐stage juveniles). For H. contortus , G. lavafesii exhibited a higher daily predation rate (≅204 third‐stage juveniles), whereas C. mediocuspis showed higher daily consumption of R. columbianus (≅6.1 larvae/nymphs) and B. matogrossensis (≅1.5 larvae). The highest oviposition rate of G. lavafesii (3 eggs/female/day) was observed on M. javanica , while C. mediocuspis laid at most 0.6 eggs/female/day on all evaluated prey. For large‐scale rearing, R. axei provided the best oviposition rate for G. lavafesii (8 eggs/female/day), whereas the highest rate for C. mediocuspis was obtained on E. kuehniella eggs (1.3 eggs/female/day). These findings will provide valuable insights for developing new biological agents for harmful organisms that spend part of their life cycle in the soil.

Buchananiella whitei Reuter (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is a native New Zealand predator that has recently been commercialised for the biological control of various arthropod pests. However, no detailed biological information has been reported for this species. This study describes its life history, development, and some oviposition when reared on three different diets—frozen moth eggs of Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae); frozen mixed stages of Carpoglyphus lactis (Sarcoptiformes: Carpoglyphidae); and live mixed stages of C. lactis. All three diets supported complete development, but individuals fed live C. lactis or frozen moth eggs attained significantly larger adult body sizes than those reared on frozen C. lactis. Developmental duration, hatch rate, and survival did not differ significantly among diets. Between 15% and 23% of individuals developed through six (rather than the usual five) nymphal instars, representing the variable instar number within the Anthocoridae. Adult females were larger than males across all treatments. Oviposition occurred only when females were provided with live C. lactis, and increased markedly when relative humidity was reduced (from 80% ± 5% to 26% ± 4%), suggesting that environmental moisture strongly influences reproduction. These results support our hypotheses, demonstrating that live C. lactis is a suitable and cost-effective factitious prey for rearing B. whitei, and they provide the first detailed biological description of this species. The discovery of humidity-dependent oviposition and variable instar number highlights developmental plasticity within the Anthocoridae and offers insights for optimising mass-rearing systems and improving the use of B. whitei in New Zealand biological control programmes.

The tomato red spider mite, Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae) is an invasive pest that causes severe damage to solanaceous crops and has proven difficult to control using conventional acaricides or predatory mites. The minute pirate bug, Buchananiella whitei Reuter (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), is a common but poorly studied anthocorid predator native to Australasia. This study investigated the development, survival, and reproduction (oviposition) of B. whitei when feeding on T. evansi under laboratory conditions, with Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs as a control diet. Results showed that B. whitei successfully completed development and achieved high survival (83%) on T. evansi, with developmental durations not significantly different from those developed on E. kuehniella eggs. Predation capacity increased with age of instar. We also documented for the first time that B. whitei exhibits a variable number of immature instars (five or six) during development, even under controlled environmental conditions. In our oviposition experiment, adult females fed on T. evansi produced a significantly higher number of eggs (4.2 ± 1.0 per male-female pair) in 7 days. These findings provide the first evidence that B. whitei can develop and reproduce on T. evansi, suggesting its potential as a biological control agent against this invasive mite. Further work should assess its performance under greenhouse and field conditions, and its integration with other natural enemies within pest management programmes.

Mating disruption (MD) is an environmentally friendly pest management approach that uses synthetic pheromones to interfere with insect mate location and reproduction. This review summarizes current progress in the application of MD for stored-product pests, with emphasis on Lepidoptera (Plodia interpunctella Hübner and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Pyralidae)) and Coleoptera (Sitophilus spp. (Curculionidae)). For moth pests, numerous studies have demonstrated substantial suppression of mating and population growth under both laboratory and field conditions, particularly when MD is integrated with sanitation, monitoring and other IPM measures. Conversely, MD applications against beetles have been less successful due to their aggregation-based communication and lower volatility of their pheromones. Advances in pheromone formulation technology, including polymer dispensers, microencapsulated sprays and aerosol emitters, have improved pheromone stability and controlled release, although achieving uniform coverage in large and aerated storage environments remains challenging. The integration of MD with biological control, temperature management and reduced fumigant use offers promising directions for sustainable pest suppression. Continued development of smart-release devices, long-term field validation and integration with automated monitoring systems will further enhance the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of MD. Overall, MD represents a key behavioral component in reducing pesticide reliance and promoting sustainable management of stored-product pests.

This study evaluated the environmental impact of an insect biofactory that produces biological agents for controlling stored product pests. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the production of eggs and larvae of the natural host Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller, 1879) and its parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836). We proposed the reuse of feed within the larval production process of E. kuehniella and compared the resulting environmental impacts with those of conventional chemical control using phosphine. The assessment was performed using SimaPro 9.5.1.2 software and the Environmental Footprint 3.1 method, covering 16 damage categories. Experimental data from the UNISC Biofactory were used to construct the life cycle inventory, which encompasses energy consumption, material inputs, and waste generation. Additional scenarios assessed the reuse of larval diet residues and compared the environmental performance of H. hebetor with phosphine, a conventional fumigant. The results indicated that the main environmental impacts are associated with electricity consumption and the larval diet composed of wheat flour and yeast. The reuse of residual diet reduced impacts in acidification and land use categories, whereas new feed showed better performance in climate change and particulate matter formation. The comparison between biological and chemical control showed lower environmental impacts with H. hebetor in all categories except water use. Overall, biological control using H. hebetor proved to be an environmentally favorable alternative or complement to chemical agents. Process optimization, energy efficiency, and integration of renewable sources may further reduce the environmental footprint of insect biofactories at larger scales.

В статье дан ключ для видовой идентификации гусениц чешуекрылых – вредителей зерна и продуктов его переработки, регулируемых в странах – импортерах российской зерновой продукции. В работе приведены в том числе те виды, для которых эта продукция не является основной, и они питаются, как правило, орехами, сухофруктами и т. д. По данному ключу возможна идентификация следующих видов: Cadra calidella (Guenée, 1845) (изюмовая огневка), Cadra cautella (Walker, 1863) (сухофруктовая огневка), Cadra figulilella (Gregson, 1871) (инжировая огневка), Apomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller, 1839) (рожковая огневка), Ephestia elutella (Hübner, 1796) (зерновая огневка), Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, 1879 (мельничная огневка), Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, [1813]) (южная амбарная огневка), Aphomia cephalonica (Stainton, 1866) (рисовая огневка), Aphomia gularis (Zeller, 1877) (ореховая огневка), Pyralis farinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (мучная огневка), Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier, 1789) (зерновая моль), Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Stainton, 1849) (семенная моль), Endrosis sarcitrella (Linnaeus, 1758) (белоплечая моль), Nemapogon granella (Linnaeus, 1758) (амбарная моль). Поскольку основные диагностические признаки связаны с особенностями хетотаксии (количеством и положением первичных щетинок на теле), в статье приведена ее схема на примере P. interpunctella с использованием принятой в настоящее время номенклатурой щетинок по Хинтону. В случае недостаточной контрастности щетинок рекомендуется окрашивание тотальных макропрепаратов гусениц фукорцином. Ключ проиллюстрирован оригинальными фотографиями для облегчения его использования специалистами в области сельского хозяйства и сотрудниками карантинных фитосанитарных лабораторий. The article provides a key for species identification of Lepidoptera larvae – pests of grain and its processed products, regulated in countries importing Russian grain products. The work also lists those species for which this product is not the main one, and they feed, as a rule, on nuts, dried fruits, etc. The following species can be identified using this key: Cadra calidella (Guenée, 1845), Cadra cautella (Walker, 1863), Cadra figulilella (Gregson, 1871), Apomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller, 1839), Ephestia elutella (Hübner, 1796), Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, 1879, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, [1813]), Aphomia cephalonica (Stainton, 1866), Aphomia gularis (Zeller, 1877), Pyralis farinalis (Linnaeus, 1758), Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier, 1789), Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Stainton, 1849), Endrosis sarcitrella (Linnaeus, 1758), Nemapogon granella (Linnaeus, 1758). Since the main diagnostic characters are related to the chaetotaxy features (number and position of primary setae on the body), the article presents its scheme on the example of P. interpunctella using the currently accepted setae nomenclature according to Hinton. In case of insufficient setae contrast, staining of total larvae macropreparations with carbol fuchsin is recommended. The key is illustrated with original photographs to facilitate its use by agricultural specialists and staff of quarantine phytosanitary laboratories.

Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is an important biological control agent for various soft-bodied arthropod pests. The effective mass rearing and reliable field performance of any biocontrol agent can depend on the quality of its diet. While a combination of insect prey and pollen has been tested previously, little information exists on how different prey and pollen types support survival and reproduction when provided alone. The current study evaluated adult longevity, reproductive span, and total and daily fecundity per female across five different diets. The first instar nymphs of O. insidiosus were reared on Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs + honey, pest thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) + honey, Typha latifolia L. (Poales: Typhaceae) pollen + honey, multifloral bee pollen + honey, and honey alone in laboratory conditions. The adults reared on E. kuehniella eggs + honey had the highest longevity, daily and total fecundity, and reproductive span, followed by those fed on S. dorsalis + honey. Two pollen diets supported reproduction and survival but were significantly less effective than insect-based diets; honey alone was insufficient to sustain reproduction. These results confirm the superior nutritional quality of E. kuehniella eggs for mass rearing while also showing that O. insidiosus can complete its lifecycle on pollen diets. Incorporating high-quality prey in the rearing system will improve colony productivity, whereas pollen supplements in the field may support predator persistence during periods of low pest density. This study contributes to optimizing both laboratory production and augmentation biological control programs using O. insidiosus.

In order to achieve the automated qualitative evaluation of Ephestia kuehniella eggs in mass industrialization and production, YOLOv10-CR is presented, with a modified circular representation based on YOLOv10. While existing methods like CircleNet struggle with overlapping objects, YOLOv10, though highly effective in general object detection, is not optimized for spherical objects. To address these limitations, we integrate YOLOv10’s efficient architecture with CircleNet’s circular representation, introducing a modified circle representation (xyy format) and an improved circle intersection over union (cIOU) algorithm. The proposed xyy circle representation reduces degrees of freedom by encoding circles through top and bottom boundary points, effectively disentangling overlapping eggs caused by adhesive mucus. The improved cIOU algorithm avoids singularity issues in nested or tangent circles, enhancing robustness under rotational variations. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed YOLOv10-CR achieves better detection accuracy, computational efficiency, and rotation robustness with lower computational costs for the detection of Ephestia kuehniella eggs.

BackgroundThe primary signals of sex determination in insects are diverse and evolve erratically. This also appears to be the case with moths and butterflies. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, female development is triggered by a W chromosome-derived Feminizer (Fem) piRNA that degrades the mRNA of the Z-linked Masculinizer (Masc) gene, which controls male development. We investigated whether this mechanism is conserved in another group of Lepidoptera.ResultsWe identified a putative feminizing piRNA and many partial copies of the EkMasc gene on the W chromosome of Ephestia kuehniella. The piRNA is generated by a repetitive W-linked sequence named E. kuehniella Moth-overruler-of-masculinization (EkMom). EkMom piRNA shows high similarity to a region of Z-linked EkMasc and is expressed at the onset of female development, but has no relationship to the B. mori Fem piRNA. We then mapped small RNA-seq data from embryos of the related Plodia interpunctella to the PiMasc gene and identified a single small RNA, a PiMom piRNA, able to target PiMasc and with high sequence identity to the EkMom piRNA. Both the PiMom and EkMom repeats are present in high copy number and form a single cluster on the W chromosome. In both species, the Mom piRNA is responsible for Masc mRNA cleavage, clearly demonstrating that the Mom piRNA triggers female development.ConclusionsOur study provides multiple lines of evidence that Mom piRNA is the primary sex-determining signal in two pyralid moths and highlights a possible pathway for the origin of feminizing piRNAs in Lepidoptera. The similarity in female sex determination between the phylogenetically distant species suggests convergent evolution of feminizing piRNAs in Lepidoptera.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-025-02392-8.

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in research data supporting the use of fungal species from diverse genera such as Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Beauveria, Cordyceps, Metarhizium, and Purpureocillium in biological control applications. The current study was conducted to identify Aspergillus chevalieri using morphological characteristics and molecular data, then to determine the potential efficiency of conidial suspension and ethanol extract against Ephestia kuehniella and to investigate its mycotoxin production potential and cytotoxicity. The identification was carried out using phenotypic characteristics and sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin gene (benA), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) loci. In developmental biology studies, it was determined that topically applied conidial suspensions and ethanol extracts at varying concentrations affected different life stages of the insect. In the conidial suspension treatments, the larval period (at 10⁸ conidia/mL) and pupal period (at 10⁶, 10⁷, and 10⁸ conidia/mL) were notably shortened compared to the control group. In ethanol extract applications, the adult emergence time was reduced at the lowest concentrations (0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL). Furthermore, both conidial suspensions and ethanol extracts caused a significant decrease in the total number of eggs, depending on the concentration applied. In the cytotoxicity test, the ethanol extract of the fungus was found to be cytotoxic in the L929 mouse cell line (NCTC clone 929) at concentrations above 0.78 mg/mL. This study showed that the fungus does not produce aflatoxin and ochratoxin and provided the first information on its potential efficiency against E. kuehniella larvae. Based on the present findings, A. chevalieri can be considered a promising candidate for inclusion in biological control programs. To fully assess its potential, future studies should explore its efficacy against a broader range of pest species and conduct field trials under diverse environmental conditions to validate the laboratory results.

In recent years, interest in edible insects has increased in Western countries, leading to an expansion of the market for insect-based products. In this context, it is essential to assess their susceptibility to infestation by stored-product pests, to ensure food safety and to develop appropriate storage management strategies. This study examined the ability of three common stored-product moth species (Plodia interpunctella, Corcyra cephalonica and Ephestia kuehniella) to infest Acheta domesticus powder and biscuits enriched with cricket powder. Larval development, adult emergence, wingspan and female fertility were evaluated. The results showed that P. interpunctella and C. cephalonica were able to complete their development on cricket powder, albeit with lower survival rates, longer developmental times and fewer offspring than on the standard diet. E. kuehniella was unable to develop on cricket powder and only minimal adult emergence was recorded in the biscuit trials, although signs of infestation were detected. These findings demonstrate that stored-product moths represent a potential infestation risk for this novel food, the market for which is expected to grow.

Egg proteins of Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) inhibit Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation.

Abstract Phytozoophagous insects, whose diets mainly consist of plant resources, can also feed on animal resources. Within populations, individuals' diets may vary according to their food preferences. The environment and their genetics determine these preferences. The degree of prey voracity (zoophagy) is likely to influence the ecological interactions of individuals. In the case of crop pests, these ecological interactions determine their economic impact. This study aimed to measure the genetic variation in the degree of zoophagy of a phytozoophagous pest, the tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) (Hemiptera: Miridae). Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs were offered, as animal resources, to L. lineolaris individuals from 15 isofemale lines in a laboratory experiment, where individuals from each line did or did not have access to an alternative plant resource. The results indicate that tarnished plant bugs consume a significant quantity of E. kuehniella eggs per day and that this behaviour varies according to the availability of a plant resource. Additionally, the broad‐sense heritability (H2) in zoophagy is significant, with an estimated 0.27. Moreover, highly zoophagous lines are less responsive to the availability of plant resources than lowly zoophagous lines. The results suggest that individuals within tarnished plant bug populations exhibit varying levels of prey consumption, which may indicate potential differences in trophic behaviour. However, the relationship between fitness and prey consumption in this phytozoophagous insect has yet to be established.

Biological control is essential in modern agriculture, as it suppresses pest populations, minimizing dependence on chemical pesticides, and safeguarding ecosystem services. Multiple biological control strategies can be combined with agronomic pest management measures. Among them, parasitoids are a viable alternative, as they prevent insect pest eggs from hatching, preventing damage from a new population. To evaluate the control potential of parasitic wasps under adverse environmental conditions in the field, this study examined the biological characteristics of trichogrammatids under different temperatures. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biological characteristics of a species/strain of Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae) under different temperature regimes for different periods. At extreme temperatures of 18°C and 30°C, female Trichogrammatidae showed inactivity for at least 4 hours, and continued to be inactive for a period of time after returning to the ideal temperature (25°C), indicating that their adaptability to temperature changes is weak. The T. pretiosum needs time to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Taken together, the results indicate that abrupt climate-related temperature variations can temporarily impair parasitoid performance, highlighting the need to adjust release strategies to maintain effective biological control in the face of ongoing global warming.

Water distillation (hydrodistillation) was used as the extraction method to obtain essential oil from the aboveground organs of the Sideritis vulcanica species, an endemic species belonging to the Sideritis genus in the Lamiaceae family, which is a family very rich in secondary metabolites and active compounds. The chemical contents of essential oils were determined by GC and GC/MS analyses. As a result of the analysis, 41 components were determined in the essential oil. These components constitute 94.13% of the total oil. The essential oil yield in 100 g of dry sample was measured between 0.2-0.3 ml. As a result of our analysis, β-β-caryophyllene (17.80%), germacrene D (8.99%), and β-pinene (7.35%) were determined as the main components. According to these results, it was determined that Sideritis vulcanica Hub. Mor. essential oil applications were effective on the egg count and total hemocyte count of storage pests Cadra cautella Walker and Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. The observed differences indicate that the essential oil has a significant effect on the developmental biology and immune ability of the studied insects and may be useful and usable for future research on the practical management of this pest.