Monitoring of Insect Pests in Grain Storage

December 15, 2020

Monitoring of Insect Pests in Grain Storage

Stored grain of any kind is susceptible to insect attack. and these infestations can destroy significant quantities of stored food, especially during long-term storage.

There are two types of grain pest. Primary pests attack the whole grain, develop and feed inside the kernel – such as granary weevil, lesser grain borer and angoumois grain moth. Secondary pests can’t penetrate the whole grain and attack grain damaged by primary pests. These include the red and confused flour beetles, the Indian mealmoth and the saw-toothed grain beetle.

Monitoring Techniques:
Losses can be minimized if infestations can be quickly identified and appropriate control strategies adopted. The most effective monitoring techniques use traps with pheromone lures or a food attractant.

Development of an effective monitoring system requires both a thorough understanding of the insect pest’s behaviour and an appreciation of the constraints presented by the environment in which it will ultimately be used. It is only through research and working with our customers that we can ensure that the products we market and the advice we give are of the highest quality. This is our ethos at International Pheromone Systems.