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Title: Efficacy of a combination of beta-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid and beta-cyfluthrin alone for control of stored-product insects on concrete

Author
item ATHANASSIOU, CHRISTOS - University Of Thessaly
item KAVALLIERATOS, NICKOLAS - Benaki Phytopathological Institute
item Arthur, Franklin
item Throne, James

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/24/2012
Publication Date: 4/1/2013
Citation: Athanassiou, C.G., Kavallieratos, N.G., Arthur, F.H., Throne, J.E. 2013. Efficacy of a combination of beta-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid and beta-cyfluthrin alone for control of stored-product insects on concrete. Journal of Economic Entomology. 106(2): 1064-1070. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC12406.

Interpretive Summary: Insecticides are used as residual surface treatments to control stored-product insect pests in mills, warehouses, and food storage facilities. We tested a combination of two new insecticides, beta-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid, for control of seven species of stored-product insect pests on concrete surfaces in laboratory studies. The rusty grain beetle, the sawtoothed grain beetle, and two psocid species were very susceptible to the insecticide combination, with mortality of 97-100% after 7 days of exposure. In contrast, the hide beetle and the red and confused flour beetles were tolerant to the insecticide, as mortality did not exceed 57, 25, and 17%, respectively, after 7 days of exposure. In a separate test, beta-cyfluthrin alone was at least as effective as the combination treatment for control of the red flour beetle and the sawtoothed grain beetle. Our results indicate that the simultaneous use of beta-cyfluthrin with imidacloprid is no more effective on concrete than beta-cyfluthrin alone, and efficacy of both formulations varies with the target species.

Technical Abstract: The insecticidal effect of Temprid®, a formulation that contains beta-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid, was tested on concrete for control of seven stored-product insect species: the rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens); the sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.); the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst); the confused flour beetle, T. confusum Jacquelin du Val; the hide beetle, Dermestes maculatus (DeGeer); and the psocids Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel and L. paeta Pearman. Adults were exposed for 4, 8, 14, and 24 h, and then daily for 7 d, on untreated dishes or dishes treated with Temprid®. In the untreated dishes, mortality of C. ferrugineus and O. surinamensis was lower when food was present, but food did not affect mortality of the other species. Presence of food did not affect mortality of any of the species tested in the treated dishes. C. ferrugineus, O. surinamensis, and the two psocid species were very susceptible to Temprid®, with mortality of 97-100% after 7 d of exposure. In contrast, D. maculatus, T. castaneum, and T. confusum were tolerant to Temprid®, as mortality did not exceed 57, 25, and 17%, respectively, at the 7-d exposure. A separate series of similar bioassays with Tempo®, a formulation that contains only beta-cyfluthrin, was conducted using O. surinamensis and T. castaneum as the target insect species, and results showed that Tempo® was at least as effective as Temprid®. Our results indicate that the simultaneous use of beta-cyfluthrin with imidacloprid is no more effective on concrete than beta-cyfluthrin alone, and efficacy of both formulations varies with the target species.