Residual efficacy of methoprene for control of tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae at different temperatures on varnished wood, concrete, and wheat

Citation

Wolly Wijayaratne, L.K., Fields, P.G., Arthur, F.H. (2012). Residual efficacy of methoprene for control of tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae at different temperatures on varnished wood, concrete, and wheat. Journal of Economic Entomology, [online] 105(2), 718-725. http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11375

Abstract

The residual efficacy of the juvenile hormone analog methoprene (Diacon II) was evaluated in bioassays using larvae of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) exposed on unsealed concrete or varnished wood treated with a liquid formulation and held at different temperatures. When these two types of surfaces were stored at 20, 30 or 35°C for 024 wk, the percentage of adult emergence on concrete increased with time. In contrast, there was no adult emergence from larvae exposed to varnished wood at 24 wk after treatment at any of these temperatures. The presence of flour reduced residual efficacy of methoprene on concrete, but not on varnished wood, with no differences between cleaning frequencies. Methoprene was also stable for 48 h on concrete held at 65°C and wheat, Triticum aestivum L., held at 46°C. Results show that methoprene is stable at a range of temperatures commonly encountered in indoor food storage facilities and at high temperatures attained during insecticidal heat treatments of structures. The residual persistence of methoprene applied to different surface substrates may be affected more by the substrate than by temperature. © 2012 Entomological Society of America.

Publication date

2012-04-01

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