Entomological News (2020) 129, 81-85

Aluska T. dos Santos, Terezinha N.A. Pereira and Carla L. Bicho (2020)
Necrobia rufipes (Degeer, 1775) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) infesting industrialized foods for pet animals in Campina Grande, Paraiba State, Brazil
Entomological News 129 (1), 81-85
Abstract: Necrobia rufipes is a cosmopolitan insect pest that attacks food products of vegetable and animal origin. The occurrence of biological agents in industrialized pet animal foods causes physical and chemical damage as well as changes in nutritional value, odor and flavor. Insects can also enhance the incidence of microorganisms and their toxins, which are one of the causes of pet animal illnesses. Individuals of N. rufipes were observed infesting dog food in the Pet Shop section of a supermarket in Campina Grande (PB). A sealed dog food bag was purchased and transported to the laboratory for sorting of infested material and identification of the specimens. Nine hundred and thirty-two larvae of different instars, 6 pre-pupae, 19 pupae and 514 adults of N. rufipes were identified. The success of infestation is related to the humidity level inside the bag and high concentration of crude protein in dog food. This is the first record of the presence of N. rufipes in industrialized dog food in Paraíba State and Northeast Brazil.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

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.
	Necrobia rufipes	Stored animal feeds/cassava	Brazil (NE)