Journal of Economic Entomology (2016) 109, 1478-1481

Justin M. Renkema, Samantha Haverkamp, Jake DeBruyn, Al Dam and Heather A. Hager (2016)
Effects of Miscanthus × giganteus and wheat straw on behavior, survival, and growth of Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 109 (3), 1478-1481
Abstract: The lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer), damages poultry barns, vectors poultry diseases, inhibits poultry weight gain, and consumes poultry feed. Management of the pest is a challenge because of its resistance to several insecticides, difficulty in treating infestations that can be concealed in locations within barns, and the high populations that occur around spilled poultry feed. However, few A. diaperinus were observed in Miscanthus × giganteus straw in a case where it was used as an alternative bedding material in open-floor poultry production in Ontario. To investigate this, we tested the effects of Miscanthus × giganteus and wheat straw on A. diaperinus behavior, survival, and growth in laboratory experiments. In these experiments, adult beetles preferred to inhabit wheat straw, whereas late-instar larvae preferred Miscanthus × giganteus. As a result, more adult beetles emerged from pupae in Miscanthus × giganteus than in wheat, but there was no difference in emerged beetle weight. Early-instar larvae survived and increased in weight at similar rates in both straw types. Thus, while adult A. diaperinus strongly preferred wheat straw given a choice, late-instar preference and pupae emergence suggest that Miscanthus × giganteus may not be useful for suppressing A. diaperinus populations.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Justin M. Renkema

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Alphitobius diaperinus		Canada (east)