Bulletin of Entomological Research (2020) 110, 550-557

Nikola Dukic, Goran Andric, Velemir Ninkovic, Marijana Prazic Golic, Petar Kljajic and Andja Radonjic (2020)
Behavioural responses of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) to different types of uninfested and infested feed
Bulletin of Entomological Research 110 (4), 550-557
Abstract: Tribolium castaneum is one of the most economically important insects that damages stored products. The effects of several infested or uninfested raw feed materials (wheat bran, coarse wheat meal, corn feed flour), feed products (compound feed for pigs and for laying hens) and flour mixed with brewer's yeast on the food-searching behaviour of T. castaneum adults were studied in a total of 48 combinations. Preference and olfactometer tests revealed that all the tested uninfested and intraspecific infested substrates were significantly more attractive to T. castaneum than the control (represented by part of an arena or olfactometer arm without substrate). We determined that all infested substrates were 2–9 times more attractive than uninfested in the preference test, while in the olfactometer test, they were 3–8 times more attractive. In comparing the attractiveness of the infested and uninfested substrates, in both tests wheat bran was found to be the most attractive substrate to T. castaneum adults and coarse wheat meal the least. The results of the present study contribute to our knowledge of how raw feed materials and products influence the behaviour of T. castaneum and their susceptibility to infestation, and indicate the possible utilization of wheat bran in monitoring processes of T. castaneum in pest management programmes.
(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): Velemir Ninkovic, Petar Kljajic

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tribolium castaneum	Stored animal feeds/cassava