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Title: Evaluation of five sampling methods for Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) and L. decolor (Pearman) (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) in steel bins containing wheat

Author
item Opit, George
item Throne, James
item Flinn, Paul

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/2009
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Opit, G.P., Throne, J.E., Flinn, P.W. 2009. Evaluation of Five Sampling Methods for Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) and L. decolor (Pearman) (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) in Steel Bins Containing Wheat. Journal of Economic Entomology 102: 1377-1382.

Interpretive Summary: Psocids, or booklice, are emerging pests of stored grain and processed stored products, but we know little about how to sample them to determine their population levels to aid in making pest management decisions. We compared five methods for sampling psocids in wheat stored in steel bins – cardboard refuges on the surface of the grain and on the bin hatch, grain samples taken using a grain trier probe, and automated sampling using StorMax Insector™ electronic probe traps. Two species of psocids were identified during the study: Liposcelis entomophila in 2005 and L. decolor in 2006. In general, the five sampling methods reflected similar patterns in seasonal abundance of psocids in both years, except that no psocids were found in the hatch refuges in December to February when temperatures were low. Psocid densities in cardboard refuges and in Insector™ probes correlated well with psocid densities in grain samples in both years. The results indicate that cardboard refuges or Insectors™ may provide an effective method for sampling psocids in bins of wheat. This information should be useful for the development of sampling plans which can be used to time psocid management in stored wheat.

Technical Abstract: An evaluation of five sampling methods for studying psocid population levels was conducted in two steel bins containing 32.6 metric tonnes of wheat in Manhattan, KS. Psocids were sampled using a 1.2-m open-ended trier, corrugated cardboard refuges placed on the underside of the bin hatch or the surface of the grain, and manual or automated electronic counts from Insector™ probe traps. Only two species were identified in this study, Liposcelis entomophila (Enderlein) in 2005 and L. decolor (Pearman) in 2006. In general, the five sampling methods reflected similar patterns in seasonal abundance in both years, except that no psocids were found in the hatch refuges in December to February when temperatures were low. We also found psocid densities in the two bins were similar for a given trapping method within each year. Psocid densities in cardboard refuges and in Insector™ probes correlated well with psocid densities in grain samples in both years. The results indicate that cardboard refuges or Insectors™ may provide an effective method for sampling psocids in bins of wheat. This information should be useful for the development of sampling plans which can be used to time psocid management in stored wheat.