Stegobium Research Articles

Insect pests of dried yam (Dioscorea sp.) chips and the perception of processors and marketers on their control

This survey was aimed at understanding the perception of Dried yam chips (DYC) Processors and Marketers on insect pests' infestation of DYC and their damage through the use of structured questionnaires. Data on socio-economic characteristics and technical information were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, and means. Data on the perception of insect pests and measures of pest control were placed on a 3-point Likert Rating Scale (LRS). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done on the population density of the identified insects and significant mean values were compared using Fisher's Least Significant Difference. Seven insect pests; Prostephanus truncatus, Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum, Stegobium paniceum, Heterobostrychus aequalis, Sitophilus zeamais, Areacerus fasciculatus, and one natural enemy; Peregrinator biannulipes were associated with DYC. However, P. truncatus, R. dominica, and A. fasciculatus were the most prevalent insect pests, causing significant damage to DYC. Approximately, 49% of processors reportedly control insect infestation in DYC using conventional insecticides, 23% by re-drying, 14% by botanicals, and the others by removing affected DYC. These findings provide useful information for extension workers involved in community education, and intervention programs by government or non-governmental organizations including public health experts and researchers.

New Methods and Challenges for IPM in Archives, Modern and Historic Libraries

ABSTRACT In this article the most important aspects of IPM, new challenges like climate change, new pests and updated methods of detection are presented. The grey silverfish has already resulted in many problems in archives and libraries across Europe. To set priorities and evaluate a large storage building with many rooms, we present a pest index for detecting high infestation rates and hotspots in the building. For the biscuit beetle we present two new detection methods: The use of a scent detecting (or sniffing) dog trained to detect the larvae of the beetle and the Insect Activity Detection System (IADS), a new technology that uses the acoustical emissions of the larvae feeding on the material. The last aspect of this paper is climate change: in the future higher temperatures, extreme weather events and introduced species will be new challenges for libraries and archives.

Insect catch at historic libraries in rural and urban settings

The historic libraries of Austria are often elegant classical spaces. The collections are sensitive to damage by insects, such as silverfish (Lepismatidae), biscuit beetles (Stegobium paniceum), spider beetle (Ptinus fur) and the furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) and a range of other beetles e.g. Dermestidae, which attack carpets and museum objects. Warmer conditions and changes in humidity might encourage new species to appear at these locations. Historic libraries represent a useful group to study, because they have similar collections, with only limited addition of new material and sometimes very few visitors, thus representing a stable indoor ecosystem. The five monastic libraries in the study occupy a range of settings, from rural to urban. Additionally, there were three research libraries in Vienna. Insects were caught over several years (up to 10) from the eastern parts of Austria using sticky blunder and pheromone (webbing clothes moth) traps. Higher annual catch rates were found in more rural monastic settings and revealed a less even spread of species (a high Gini coefficient) than at urban sites. The Shannon diversity was higher in the urban research libraries. Species within the same family can show differences in preference: silverfish Lepisma saccharinum (rural), Ctenolepisma longicaudatum (urban) or C. calvum (urban), carpet beetles Anthrenus museorum (rural) and A. verbasci (urban). The differences may be a function of the land use, climate, air pollution or human activities. The work suggests that managing insects in these libraries need to account for differences between rural and urban locations.

Effect of New Bio-component of Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus (Cypovirus1) with Silver Nanoparticles against Four Pests in Stored Food Products

This study was conducted to develop an approach for reducing severe damage to grains caused by various insect pests using the biological control agent Cypovirus1 and silver nanoparticles, both alone and in combination. Four types of beetles that infest stored products, including drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum), saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis), warehouse beetle (Trogoderma variabile), and Cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculates), were collected from seven different areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, specifically Mecca regions. We determined the morphological characteristics of the pests in various grains. Corn borer pupae and larvae of corn plants infected with Cypovirus1 were collected from the stems of live and dead maize plants in fields in Mecca regions to isolate Cypovirus1. Infected samples were examined using triple antibody sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELIZA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed virus-containing occlusion bodies inside infected cells of corn borer larvae with irregular shapes and dimensions of 2.2–4.9 µm. The effects of different concentrations of the virus activated by synthetic spherical silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of 36.32 nm on the larva of grain pests taken were evaluated, and all treatments led to an increased mortality percentage after 72 h compared to at 48 h. The treatment mixture consisting of 10/100 viral and 400 µg/kg AgNPs led to the highest average death rates of the four insect larvae at 72 h after treatment. Protein bands that were present in the virus-infected larvae of the four pests were absent from healthy larvae, indicating viral infection.

Application of Modified Atmospheres to Control Stegobium paniceum and Lasioderma serricorne Infestation of Stored Chamomile and Coriander and Its Effect On Product Quality

AbstractMedicinal and spices plants are crucial, and they can become infested by several insects, such as drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum l.) and the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne), during storage. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the effect of enriched modified atmospheres (MAs), with CO2 or N2, on L. serricorne and S. paniceum adults and larvae and their effect on quality of chamomile flowers and coriander seeds during storage. Various carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas concentrations were tested, including 40% CO2, 50% CO2, 60% CO2, 97% N2, and 98% N2. The larval mortality for S. paniceum reached 100% after 6 days of 60% CO2 and 8 days for the L. serricorne. At 98% N2 treatment, the complete mortality (100%) of S. paniceum and L. serricorne adults was recorded following 3 and 9 day exposures and of larvae following 10 day exposure.The quality parameters (weight loss percentage, germination, essential oil percentage, and color) of chamomile flower and coriander seeds treated with 60% CO2 and control were studied after 3 and 6 months of storage. The MAs had the lowest weight loss percentage, the highest lightness value, the lowest color changes, and the highest essential oil content of chamomile flower and coriander seeds compared with the control treatment. Additionally, the MAs induced a higher germination percentage of coriander seeds compared with the control. Treatment with CO2 increased some essential oils compounds, compared with control after 6 months of storage of chamomile. All compounds were decreased in coriander seeds treated with CO2, except for carvone and anethole, which were increased. In conclusion, our study recommends using MAs to control S. paniceum and L. serricorne during storage and maintain the quality of chamomile flower and coriander seed.

Dielectric Properties of Dried Turmeric Rhizomes and Related Storage Insects

The dielectric properties of dried turmeric finger rhizomes and the related storage insects namely Stegobium paniceum L. (drugstore beetle) and Lasioderma serricorne F. (cigarette beetle), were studied using an impedance analyzer. The measurements were conducted with the frequency range of 25 to 32 MHz and at temperatures ranging from 60 to 80°C. The dielectric constant and loss factor decreased with increasing frequency from 25 to 32 MHz at all temperatures whereas, the dielectric constant and loss factor increases with increasing temperatures at constant frequency for all samples were studied. The sample with maximum moisture content revealed maximum dielectric property. New equations were formulated through regression analysis to explore how the dielectric properties are influenced by changes in temperature and frequency.

Urban Pest Abundance and Public Enquiries in Zurich 1991-2022.

Zurich's Urban Pest Advisory Service (UPAS) aims to survey, control and reduce hazards posed by pests. Records submitted to the UPAS may not exactly correlate with abundance but can reveal patterns of change. These reflect changes in species, public and media perceptions and the effects of climate and COVID-19, along with the effectiveness of new pest controls. Records for Blattodea and Plodia interpunctella declined in the period 1990-2022, while Cimex lectularius and Psocoptera increased. Summer has typically revealed the largest number of insects reported and Google searches show parallel seasonal variations. The Blattodea declined five-fold over time, likely due to better pest control methods (gel baits). Aedes albopictus, though rare, was the subject of media reports and awareness campaigns, which resulted in much public interest. Vespidae are abundant and have been reported in sufficient numbers to warrant an analysis of seasonal records, suggesting that July temperatures affect numbers. COVID-19 restrictions led to more frequent reports of rodents, pigeons, Zygentoma and Stegobium paniceum. The long-term reporting to the UPAS gives a useful indication of the changing concerns about pests in Zurich.

Entomocidal activity of some botanical powders and their mixes against adults of Lasioderma serricorne Fabricius and Stegobium paniceum Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Anobiidae)

The study investigated the lethality of powders made from rice husk ash (RHA), dry flower buds of Eugenia aromatica (L.) Baill. (EAP), and dry seeds of Piper guineense Schumach. (PGP), to adults of Lasioderma serricorne Fabricius and Stegobium paniceum Linnaeus, at 25 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 3% relative humidity. The powders were tested singly, and in binary and ternary combinations at the dosages of 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1 g/10 g of grain in glass Petri dishes. The constituents of binary and ternary combination of powders were mixed in equal proportions. There was a control involving no powder. Adult mortality of 20 individuals was observed 3, 5 and 7 days post treatment. ANOVA of data indicated significant differences among treatment means. Adult mortality increased with increase in dosage of powders and period of exposure. When applied singly the three insecticidal powders generally showed decreasing lethality to the adults beetles in this order RHA > EAP > PGP with respect to S. paniceum, but EAP > RHA > PGP with respect to L. serricorne. In the binary and ternary combinations of equal proportions the less toxic powders were more enhanced in lethality. The use of the binary and ternary combinations may be favoured for use in mitigating S. paniceum and L. serricorne damage to stored products for reasons of affordability, sustainability and durability which is discussed.

Influence of Modified Atmospheres on Infestation of Stored Date Fruits by Ephestia cautella (Walker) and Stegobium paniceum (L)

Influence of Modified Atmospheres on Infestation of Stored Date Fruits by Ephestia cautella (Walker) and Stegobium paniceum (L)

Evaluation of zeolite dusts as grain protectants against Lepinotus reticulatus, Liposcelis decolor, Acarus siro and Stegobium paniceum

Evaluation of zeolite dusts as grain protectants against Lepinotus reticulatus, Liposcelis decolor, Acarus siro and Stegobium paniceum

Thermohygrometric Climate, Insects and Fungi in the Klosterneuburg Monastic Library

The abundance of insect and fungal pests under a changing climate may threaten historic interiors, libraries and museums, with warmer, potentially more humid winters. This work examines local and indoor climate, insects and fungi in a historic library near Vienna. It reveals a mostly dry and cool environment for the storage of books, but few visitors to induce changes. Temperature and relative humidity have been monitored for 12 months (2021-07/2022-07), with 14 monitors positioned insect traps (blunder traps and some pheromone traps). Fungi in air, on surfaces and in settled dust were also sampled. Winter temperatures in library cupboards and behind shelves were slightly warmer (~1 °C) and more humid than in the library environment. Over the last decade there have been infestations of the biscuit beetles (Stegobium paniceum) but since treatment with sulfuryl difluoride, Anthrenus sp. have dominated. Silverfish are also present, but only in one corner. Fungal outbreaks have also been found, but over five years fungi in air samples have shifted from Penicillium commune and P. chrysogenum to Aspergillus sp. The stable environment at Klosterneuburg is suitable for books, yet insects and mould present suggests vigilance remains necessary, as some microenvironments (e.g., cupboards) can be at risk and there may be materials with high water content, hygroscopic or of nutritional value.

Museum Pests in Mammal Furs: An Investigation of the Correlation Between Pests and Host Furs

Insects are of great importance in the ecosystem. In some cases, however, they can be directly or indirectly harmful to humans. Pest insects in museums are good examples of such insects. Especially organic cultural heritage is often the target of these pests. To accomplish effective pest control, it is necessary to obtain knowledge on pest species and their effects. In this study, pest specimens including adults, larvae, pupae and exuviae materials (Total: 1323 specimens) were collected from 59 furs belonging to 12 species of mammals in Zoological Collection of University Istanbul (ZMUI). The species of these pests from various life stages were identified and the numbers were recorded. Further analyses were conducted through the means of Corresponding Analysis and a potential correlation between pest species and species of hosting furs was investigated 9 species of museum pests were identified; Anthrenus verbasci (Linnaeus, 1767), Attagenus brunneus Faldermann, 1835, Dermestes maculatus (DeGeer, 1774), Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius, 1792), Lepisma sp., Monopis sp., Ptinus clavipes Panzer, 1792, Stegobium paniceum (Linnaeus, 1758) and Tineola bisselliella (Hummel, 1823). Among the pest species, Anthrenus verbasci is the species with the highest specimen count in the collection, as well as the most commonly distributed species. Museum pests are mainly observed on the furs of herbivore mammals. This observation is demonstrated with Corresponding Analysis. Also through Corresponding Analysis, a correlation between the species of pest insects and the diets of the species of hosting furs was demonstrated.

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Stegobium paniceum to volatile compounds from Chinese medicinal plant materials.

BACKGROUND Stegobium paniceum (Coleoptera, Anobiidae) is an important pest of stored products causing severe damage to dried Chinese medicinal plant materials (CMPMs). Plant volatiles play an important role in host‐searching of insects. The olfactory responses of S. paniceum to the most abundant volatile components of some drugstore attractant CMPMs such as Panax notoginseng, Angelica sinensis, Gastrodia elata and Peucedanum praeruptorum, namely falcarinol, 3‐n‐butylphthalide, p‐cresol and β‐pinene, respectively, were studied by electroantennography (EAG) and behavioural bioassays in six‐ and four‐arm olfactometers.RESULTSEAG recordings showed that male and female antennae are able to perceive the test compounds in a wide range of concentrations and in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, for each dose of different compounds tested, no significant differences were found between the mean male and female EAG responses. In six‐arm olfactometer bioassays, S. paniceum exhibited positive responses to falcarinol, 3‐n‐butylphthalide, p‐cresol and β‐pinene at doses of 1, 10, 100, 500 and 1000 μg. The most attractive dose was 500 μg for falcarinol, 100 μg for 3‐n‐butylphthalide, 500 μg for p‐cresol and 1000 μg for β‐pinene. Olfactory preferences of S. paniceum, based on comparison of these four compounds at their optimally attractive concentrations in a four‐arm olfactometer, were 3‐n‐butylphthalide > p‐cresol > falcarinol > β‐pinene.CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that the four volatiles of CMPMs are perceived by the peripheral olfactory system of S. paniceum adults and are able to individually elicit a positive chemotaxis in S. paniceum adults confirming the role of chemical cues in host‐plant detection and selection of this pest. Further field studies are needed to evaluate the potential of the attractive compounds identified in this study, particularly 3‐n‐butylphthalide, to be applied as a novel monitoring and control tool against this storage‐beetle pest. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Survey on the Incidence of Cigarette Beetle <i>Lasioderma Serricorne</i> F. In Stored Turmeric

A survey was conducted to evaluate the incidence of cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne F. in three districts of Telangana state viz., Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy and Warangal. The survey was conducted twice- July and October 2014. These surveys revealed the prevalence of five species in stored turmeric viz., cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne F., drug store beetle Stegobium paniceum L., red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst, lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica F. and saw-toothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. Among these, L. serricorne was found to be the most dominant in all the three districts, with maximum infestation being observed in Ranga Reddy district.

The investigation of intraspecific characteristics and comparative analyses of the complete mitochondrial genome of Stegobium paniceum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) assembled from public NGS raw reads of the black truffle, Tuber melanosporum.

Due to the rapid development of NGS technologies, a huge amount of NGS raw reads have been accumulated in public repositories, such as the Short Read Archive of NCBI. We successfully rescued the complete mitochondrial genome of Stegobium paniceum, a drug store beetle, from public NGS raw reads of truffle generated from the whole genome project. The circular mitogenome of S. paniceum is 15,474 bp long including 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a single large non-coding region of 803 bp. Intraspecific transfer RNAs structure and sequence variations were investigated and simple sequence repeats identified from three S. paniceum mitochondrial genomes were compared showing their diversities as fundamental data to utilize them in various aspects including developing efficient molecular markers in the family, Ptinidae. Phylogenetic analysis of 23 Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes presented better species identification based on phylogenetic analyses and the optimal options for constructing phylogenetic trees based on Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes. Our results present not only utilization of public NGS raw read sequences but also intraspecific features of S. paniceum mitochondrial genomes and comparative analysis of Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes in various aspects.

Drugstore Beetle Damage Pattern of Glue Paste-Lined Oil Paintings.

A glue paste lining is a traditional conservation treatment used to reinforce the aged canvas of oil paintings. Several insect infestation cases concerning glue paste-lined oil paintings have been reported around the world, particularly in European countries. In 2008, Chimei Museum, a private museum located in Tainan, Taiwan, was affected by a severe beetle infestation of oil paintings. To confirm the infesting insects and to quantify the damage pattern for further development of control and monitoring methods, three severely damaged paintings were examined along with the restoration procedure. A total of four insect species were collected. The drugstore beetle, Stegobium paniceum (L.) (Coleopter: Ptinidae), was the primary pest found in all three paintings investigated and was identified based on morphological and genetic data. Thrips and booklice were considered secondary pests, and a Pteromalid wasp was speculated to have a parasitic relationship with the drugstore beetle. Drugstore beetle larvae mainly bored into the glue paste layer and original canvas and required only 5.94 ± 1.38 mm3 of feed to grow from egg to pupa. Their bores were not evenly distributed, and most of them were found in the shaded area covered by the stretcher and outer frame. The body length of drugstore beetles varied, ranging from 1.67 to 2.75 mm, which may explain the various sizes of exit holes on gummed tape surrounding the frame. Detailed and quantified information on drugstore beetle's pattern of damage provided in this study will be beneficial for further developing conservation practices and inspection methods.

Comparative efficacy of gamma and microwave radiation in protecting peppermint from infestation by drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum) L.

Comparative efficacy of gamma and microwave radiation in protecting peppermint from infestation by drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum) L.

The sperm structure and the spermiogenesis of the drugstore beetle Stegobium paniceum (L.) (Coleoptera-Ptinidae-Anobinae)

We describe in this paper the morphology of the male reproductive system, the spermiogenesis and the sperm ultrastructure of the drugstore beetle S. paniceum (L) (Coleoptera, Ptinidae). The male reproductive apparatus has a pair of long testes with six follicles, filled with cysts, each containing 128 germ cells. The sperm is about 480 μm long and is endowed of an apical spiral cylindrical acrosome, 1.7 μm long. The nucleus, 25 μm long, is also cylindrical at maturity. During spermiogenesis the nuclear envelope gives rise to two ovoid membranous structures flanking the nucleus for its whole length. The centriole adjunct material is configurated as concentric electron-dense rings. The flagellar components have a helical array; the axoneme has the typical 9 + 9+2 pattern for most of its length, but in the posterior flagellar region it modifies greatly its ultrastructure and is embedded in an electron-dense material. The two accessory bodies have a crescent-moon shape in the mature sperm, but at the beginning of spermiogenesis they are small structures lateral to the axoneme, later assuming a crescent-moon structure. A flattened cistern located between the axoneme and the plasma membrane is present in the early spermatids, but soon it fuses with the plasma membrane. Two symmetrical, largely crystallized mitochondrial derivatives are present for most of the flagellar length. S. paniceum and Lasioderma serricorne share several sperm structures. Ultrastructural results and molecular data confirm a close relationship between these two species and support their positioning within Ptinidae.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) seed for reproduction of stored-product insects

Hemp, or industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa), is a high value alternative crop that has seen increases in production in Canada since commercial production was legalized in 1998. Insect infestation of stored hemp seed may result in loss of quality and value. There are few published studies on the ability of insects to survive and reproduce on hemp seed. Reproduction of eleven stored-product insects on hemp seed at different moisture contents with, or without dockage, was studied. Insects were introduced into 15 g of hemp seed at two initial moisture contents (dry, 9% m.c. or damp, 15% m.c.), two dockage levels (dockage-free or dockage, 15%), and held at 30°C and 60–70% r.h. Five replicates of each treatment for each species were used. For beetles, twenty unsexed adults were used, for Ephestiakuehniella (Mediterranean flour moth), twenty eggs were used. For the beetles, live and dead adults were counted after 3, 5, 7 and 9 weeks, for the moth, adults were counted after 12.5 weeks. After counting, only live adults were returned to the hemp seed. The following beetle populations increased over the 9 weeks; Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle), Lasioderma serricorne (cigarette beetle), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (sawtoothed grain beetle) and Trogoderma variabile (warehouse beetle). The following species did not increase their populations; Cryptolestes ferrugineus (rusty grain beetle), Rhyzopertha dominica (lesser grain borer), Sitophilus oryzae (rice weevil), Cryptolestes turcicus (flour mill beetle), Tribolium confusum (confused flour beetle), and Stegobium paniceum (drugstore beetle). For the beetles, higher dockage generally led to higher populations. The effect of moisture content was variable. Ephestia kuehniella produced adults on all treatments, with the dry treatment containing dockage performing the best.

First record of Gastrallus laticollis pic 1929 (coleoptera: Bostrichoidea: Ptinidae) in Sri Lanka

Libraries, archives and museums in tropical countries like Sri Lanka are at great risk to be infested by insect pests. These can damage especially celluloses-based and starch glue materials and objects like books, paper or traditional palm leave manuscripts. Besides beetles (Coleoptera, mainly Ptinidae), also termites (Isoptera) and silverfish (Zygentoma) are the most problematic pests infesting these collections across the island. We sampled the pests and their abundance in the National Museum Library in Colombo and found six different species of library pests: the termite Cryptotermes sp., two silverfish species Lepisma saccharinum, Ctenolepisma longicaudatum and three beetle species of Ptinidae: Lasioderma serricorne, Stegobium paniceum and Gastrallus laticollis. G. laticollis is a new species to the fauna of Sri Lanka, it is only known from Singapore. Its occurrence in Sri Lanka and the distribution of other species of the genera Gastrallus in Asia are discussed.