Dr. Frank Arthur Research Entomologist Stored Product Insect Research Unit Center for Grain & Animal Health Research 1515 College Ave. Manhattan, KS 66502 Voice: (785) 776-2783 Fax: (785) 537-5584 frank.arthur@ars.usda.gov www.ars.usda.gov/npa/cgahr/spiru/arthur

Frank Arthur received his Ph.D. in Entomology from North Carolina State University in December 1985. He joined the staff of the Stored Product Insects Research and Development Laboratory at Savannah, GA in March 1986, and was transferred to the Center for Grain and Animal Health Research upon closure of the Savannah Laboratory in November 1994. He is responsible for developing applied research programs for insect pest management in stored cereal grains and processed food warehouses. Previous studies have included pesticide degradation on stored commodities, residual efficacy of insecticides applied to different substrates, evaluation of new chemicals for use in post-harvest environments, and expanded use of aeration to control insect pests in stored grains. Current research interests are the development of aeration management strategies for crops stored in different geographic regions, evaluation of microbial pathogens for use in raw grains or on surface substrates, identification of physical and environmental factors that affect the efficacy of residual insecticides, and simulated field studies involving chemical and non-chemical controls. Research projects often involve cooperative efforts with private industry, other entomologists at the Manhattan laboratory, research and extension entomologists at various state universities, and biologists associated with the U. S. Military.

Directional Flow of Aeration to Manage Insect Pests in Stored Wheat
Using low-volume ambient air to cool stored grain is a common management practice in the southern plains, but little research has been done recently to determine if the direction of airflow makes a difference regarding the cooling and insect pest populations. We conducted a 2-year study at the USDA ARS Center for Grain and Animal Health Research (CGAHR), using 1,000 bushel metal storage bins filled with wheat. We evaluated suction aeration, pulling air downward through the grain mass, as compared to pressure aeration, the standard strategy of pushing cool air upward through the grain mass. Results were consistent each of the two years and showed that temperatures on the upper surface of the grain mass were consistently cooler with suction aeration than with pressure aeration. The resulting insect pest populations were also generally lower in the bins with suction versus pressure aeration. Our results indicated that using suction aeration would cool the upper surface zone of the grain mass, which is vulnerable to insect infestation, and could reduce the need for additional pesticide inputs through this reduction in pest pressure.

The results of the previous study are promising and warrant further investigation in larger bins. A new study has been initiated to examine temperature gradients in the headspace zone of wheat storage bins with pressure versus suction aeration, and to determine the extent of the interactions between the headspace temperatures and those in the upper surface zone of the bulk grain mass. Studies are being conducted at the CGAHR, this time using 4,000 bushel bins. The first year has been completed, and results are similar to the earlier study in that more insects are found in the bins with pressure aeration compared to the bins with suction aeration. Headspace temperature patterns are different with the two aeration methods, and even with the larger bins the surface zone of the wheat appears to be cooler with suction aeration compared to pressure aeration.

Beetle Immigration into Foundation Seed Warehouses

Understanding and eliminating routes of insect immigration into grain storage and processing facilities will provide new opportunities for targeted pest management. Stored-product Coleoptera were captured on unbaited rodent glue boards positioned on the floor, along the sides, and above overhead doors in Foundation Seed Warehouses located in Kansas and Nebraska. Traps were examined and replaced weekly from May through October 2004. To examine the effects of exclusion in paired tests, exterior rubber door gaskets were installed on one side of a door in Kansas and both doors in Nebraska. Species captured included the lesser grain borer, foreign grain beetle, rusty grain beetle, hairy fungus beetle, rice weevil and red flour beetle. When rubber gaskets were installed at the Kansas location, insect captures were concentrated at or near ground level suggesting that pest management efforts, such as residual spray applications, should be focused in these areas.
     Poster

Efficacy of Aerosols for Managing the Red Flour Beetle

Pest management professionals commonly utilize aerosolized liquid applications, also known as fogging, for management of stored-product insects including the red flour beetle. These applications are part of a potential methyl bromide replacement technology because they may increase the time interval between structural fumigations or heat treatments. The objectives of this study were to examine influence of flour accumulation, exposure location , life stage, and insecticide on the efficacy of aerosol applications. Data show that aerosolized insecticide applications in dishes without food residues placed in the open produced the highest red flour beetle mortality. Conversely, mortality significantly decreased with food and exposure under pallets.
     Poster

Efficacy of Methoprene Against Neonates of Lesser Grain Borer (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) on Rough Rice

Lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) is one of the most important insect pests in rough rice. Females lay eggs outside kernels and the larvae bore and feed inside the kernel. Methoprene is an insect growth regulator (IGR) which is applied on rice as a protectant. Methoprene affects egg and larval stages of R. dominica on rough rice. The methoprene-treated rice decreased the number of larvae hatching from eggs. Most of the larvae that bore into kernels treated with methoprene will die before reaching the adult stage, while larvae inside the untreated kernels are able to develop to adult.
     Poster

Evaluation of Methoprene Combined with Diatomaceous Earth to Control the Lesser Grain Borer (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in Stored Wheat

The combination of methoprene and DE produced additive effects. Reduced rates of DE gave immediate mortality and reduced rates of methoprene prevented F1 adults. This method of application is a possible new control strategy on stored wheat.
     Research Paper      Poster

Flight Activity of the Lesser Grain Borer Near Certified Seed Facilities

Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), lesser grain borer (LGB), is a serious pest of stored grain and grain processing facilities throughout temperate regions of the US. Foundation-certified seed stock facilities currently rely on application of chlorpyrifos-methyl directly to seed, applications of contact insecticides around the warehouse perimeter, and annual warehouse fumigation to manage this pest. The most common formulation of chlorpyrifos-methyl labeled for use on stored grain will no longer be available starting in 2005. To develop an IPM program for these facilities, LGB flight activity in and around a Kansas warehouse and the primary routes of insect immigration were studied. Results are broadly applicable to any grain storage or processing facility.
     Poster

Fumigation Impact on Stored Product Insects in a Grain Processing Facility

Stored product insect pests reduce the quality of stored grain and processed grain products around the world. Losses to processed grain products are difficult to quantify but are undoubtedly greater because these products are more valuable yet have a lower pest tolerance than raw commodities. Insect management is important not only to maintain consumer confidence, but also because federal laws regulate insect presence in processing facilities and insect fragments in processed goods. Fumigation is the primary tool used to manage these insect infestations.
     Poster

Insect pest management in stored bulk grains and seeds: reduced risk-insecticides and non-chemical controls

Diatomaceous Earth, Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs), Seed Treatments
     Poster

Insect Populations in Grain Residues from Kansas Elevators

Most U.S. wheat is stored in large commercial elevators. Elevator silos can quickly become infested with stored-grain insects. Sources of infestation may include old grain, trucks and railcars, and spilled grain in outside areas. Nine elevators in Kansas were visited repeatedly for 2 years, frequency depended on amount of grain stored. Grain residues are likely sources for dispersal and infestation.
     Research Paper      Poster

Insecticides to control stored-product insects in mills, processing plants, food warehouses, and urban storages

Red Flour Beetle (RFB) and Confused Flour Beetle (CFB) are major pests of stored food. Newer insecticides used to control these pests have reduced mammalian toxicity. Physical and biological factors can affect insecticidal efficacy. These factors include insecticide formulation, temperature, relative humidity (RH), the presence of food materials, and insect species. New research with Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) affects insect molting hormones and prevents or inhibits adult emergence.
     Poster

Survival of red flour beetles after exposure to cyfluthrin: effects of a food source

Food warehouses, processing plants, and mills often contain residual food and hidden areas that support insect infestations. Sanitation programs for these indoor storage structures include the use of residual insecticides as crack and crevice treatments or spot treatments. However, insects may encounter the insecticidal residues for comparatively brief intervals during normal foraging and feeding activity. The objectives of this test were to determine: 1) the exposure intervals required to kill red flour beetles exposed on concrete treated with cyfluthrin wettable powder (WP), and 2) effects of a food source on beetle survival.
     Web Page      Research Paper

The effects of temperature on residual efficacy of cyfluthrin wettable powder.

The toxicity of most organophosphate insecticides generally increases as temperatures increase. In contrast, toxicity of pyrethroids often decreases as temperatures increase, although results can vary depending on chemical structure, the target species, the specific insecticide, and the temperature range. The objectives of this test were to determine: 1) the effect of temperature on knockdown and survival of red flour beetles exposed on concrete treated with 9.5 mg per ft2 20% [AI] cyfluthrin wettable powder (WP), and 2) effects associated with residue aging.
     Web Page      Research Paper

Toxicity of diatomaceous earth (protect-it) to red flour beetles and confused flour beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): effects of temperature and relative humidity.

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural product composed of fossilized diatoms (aquatic phytoplankton) from freshwater or marine sedimentary deposits. They absorb waxy fats and oils (lipids) from the insect cuticle and may also physically cut and damage the cuticle. This inhibits insects ability to retain water, and they die from dessication. Factors such as the target insect species, environmental conditions, and exposure interval can affect the response of insects to DE. The objectives of this test were to determine: 1) effect of temperature and relative humidity on mortality of red flour beetles and confused flour beetles, 2) variation in mortality between the two species, and 3) if mortality would continue to occur after the beetles were removed from the treated environment.
     Web Page      Research Paper

Magazine Articles

Fighting Insect Pests of Stored Foods

News, Miscellaneous

Hydroprene--Tool For Fending Off Packaged-Food Pests

Protecting Perishables From Package Pests

Natural Product Helps Insects “Bite the Dust”

PDF	Wijayaratne, L.K.W., P.G. Fields, and F.H. Arthur. 2012. Effect of methoprene on the progeny production of Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Pest Manag. Sci. 68: 217-224.
PDF	Arthur, F.H., G.O. Ondier, and T.J. Siebenmorgen. 2012. Impact of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) on quality parameters of milled rice. J. Stored Prod. Res. 48(1): 137-142.
PDF	Sutton, A.E., F.H. Arthur, K.Y. Zhu, J.F. Campbell, and L.W. Murray. 2011. Residual efficacy of synergized pyrethrin + methoprene aerosol against larvae of Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). J. Stored Prod. Res. 47: 399-406.
PDF	Arthur, F.H., E.A. Fontenot, and J.F. Campbell. 2011. Evaluation of catmint oil and hydrogenated catmint oil as repellents for the flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum. J. Insect Sci. 11:128.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, N.G. Kavallieratos, and J.E. Throne. 2011. Efficacy of pyriproxyfen for control of stored-product psocids (Psocoptera) on concrete surfaces. J. Econ. Entomol. 104: 1765-1769.
PDF	Opit, G.P., F.H. Arthur, E.L. Bonjour, C.L. Jones, and T.W. Phillips. 2011. Efficacy of heat treatment for disinfestation of concrete grain silos. J. Econ. Entomol. 104: 1416-1422.
PDF	Arthur, F.H., Y. Yang and L.T. Wilson. 2011. Use of a web-based model for aeration management in stored rough rice. J. Econ. Entomol. 104: 702-708.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, and J.E. Throne. 2011. Efficacy of layer treatment with methoprene for control of Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) on wheat, rice and maize. Pest Manag. Sci. 67: 380-384.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, N.G. Kavallieratos, and J.E. Throne. 2011. Efficacy of spinosad and methoprene, applied alone or in combination, against six stored-product insect species. J. Pest Sci. 84: 61-67.
PDF	Arthur, F.H. 2010. Stored product entomology in the United States: perspectives for the future. Am. Entomol. 56: 218-220.
PDF	Jenson, E.A., F.H. Arthur, and J.R. Nechols. 2010. Methoprene and synergized pyrethrins as aerosol treatments to control Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), the Indian meal moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). J. Stored Prod. Res. 46: 103-110.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, and J.E. Throne. 2010. Efficacy of methoprene for control of five species of psocids (Psocoptera) on wheat, rice, and maize. J. Food Prot. 73: 2244-2249.
PDF	Toews, M.D., J.F. Campbell, and F.H. Arthur. 2010. The presence of flour affects the efficacy of aerosolized insecticides used to treat the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. J. Insect Sci. 10: 1-14.
	Arthur, F.H. 2010. Residual efficacy of aerosols to control Tribolium castaneum and Tribolium confusum. In M.O. Carvalho et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, 27 June to 2 July 2010, Estoril, Portugal. Julius Kühn-Institut, Berlin, Germany. pp. 789-792. (Link to article *)
Available at NAL DR	Campbell, J.F., M.D. Toews, F.H. Arthur, and R.T. Arbogast. 2010. Structural fumigation efficacy against Tribolium castaneum in flour mills. In M.O. Carvalho et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, 27 June to 2 July 2010, Estoril, Portugal. Julius Kühn-Institut, Berlin, Germany. pp. 352-357.
	Tucker, A.M., J.F. Campbell, F.H. Arthur, and K.Y. Zhu. 2010. Horizontal transfer of methoprene in Tribolium castaneum. In M.O. Carvalho et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, 27 June to 2 July 2010, Estoril, Portugal. Julius Kühn-Institut, Berlin, Germany. pp. 818-823. (Link to article *)
	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, J.E. Throne, G.P. Opit, M.M. Hasan, M.J. Aikins, T.W. Phillips, and N.G. Kavallieratos. 2010. Efficacy of insecticides for control of stored-product psocids. In M.O. Carvalho et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th International Working Conference on Stored Product Protection, 27 June to 2 July 2010, Estoril, Portugal. Julius Kühn-Institut, Berlin, Germany. pp. 805-814. (Link to article *)
PDF	Campbell, J.F., M.D. Toews, F.H. Arthur, and R.T. Arbogast. 2010. Long-term monitoring of Tribolium castaneum in two flour mills: seasonal patterns and impact of fumigation. J. Econ. Entomol. 103: 991-1001.
PDF	Campbell, J.F., M.D. Toews, F.H. Arthur, and R.T. Arbogast. 2010. Long-term monitoring of Tribolium castaneum populations in two flour mills: rebound after fumigation. J. Econ. Entomol. 103: 1002-1011.
PDF	Arthur, F.H., and M.E. Casada. 2010. Directional flow of summer aeration to manage insect pests in stored wheat. Appl. Eng. Agric. 26: 115-122.
PDF	Jenson, E.A., F.H. Arthur, and J.R. Nechols. 2010. Efficacy of an esfenvalerate plus methoprene aerosol for the control of eggs and fifth instars of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Insect Sci. 17: 21-28.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, and J.E. Throne. 2010. Effects of short exposures to spinosad-treated wheat or maize on four stored-grain insects. J. Econ. Entomol. 103: 197-202.
Available at NAL DR	Arthur, F.H., J.A. Johnson, L.G. Neven, G.J. Hallman, and P.A. Follett. 2009. Insect pest management in postharvest ecosystems in the United States of America. Outlooks Pest Manage. 20: 279-284.
PDF	Jenson, E.A., F.H. Arthur, and J.R. Nechols. 2009. Efficacy of methoprene applied at different temperatures and rates on surface substrates to control eggs and fifth instars of Plodia interpunctella. J. Econ. Entomol. 102: 1992-2002.
PDF	Arthur, F.H. 2009. Efficacy of chlorfenapyr against adult Tribolium castaneum exposed on concrete: effects of exposure interval, concentration and the presence of a food source after exposure. Insect Sci. 16: 157-163.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, and J.E. Throne. 2009. Efficacy of spinosad in layer-treated wheat against five stored-product insect species. J. Stored Prod. Res. 45: 236-240.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, and J.E. Throne. 2009. Efficacy of grain protectants against four psocid species on maize, rice and wheat. Pest Manag. Sci. 65: 1140-1146.
PDF	Athanassiou, C.G., F.H. Arthur, G.P. Opit, and J.E. Throne. 2009. Insecticidal effect of diatomaceous earth against three species of stored-product psocids on maize, rice, and wheat. J. Econ. Entomol. 102: 1673-1680.
PDF	Arthur, F.H., S. Liu, B. Zhao, and T.W. Phillips. 2009. Residual efficacy of pyriproxyfen and hydroprene applied to wood, metal and concrete for control of stored-product insects. Pest Manag. Sci. 65: 791-797.
PDF	Toews, M.D., F.H. Arthur, and J.F. Campbell. 2009. Monitoring Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) in pilot-scale warehouses treated with B-cyfluthrin: are residual insecticides and trapping compatible? Bull. Entomol. Res. 99: 121-129.
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