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Title: Susceptibility of Lasioderma serricorne (F.)(Coleoptera: Anobiidae) life stages to elevated temperatures used during structural heat treatments

Author
item YU, CHUN - Kansas State University
item SUBRAMANYAM, BHADRIRAJU - Kansas State University
item Flinn, Paul
item GWIRTZ, JEFFREY - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2010
Publication Date: 2/1/2011
Citation: Yu, C., Subramanyam, B., Flinn, P.W., Gwirtz, J.A. 2011. Susceptibility of Lasioderma serricorne (F.)(Coleoptera: Anobiidae) life stages to elevated temperatures used during structural heat treatments. Journal of Economic Entomology. 104(1):317-324. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC10067.

Interpretive Summary: Methyl bromide is still widely used in food processing and storage facilities for the suppression of stored-product insect pests, but its use is scheduled to be phased out as part of the Montreal Protocol. Little information is available on the response of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), a pest associated with food-processing facilities, to elevated temperatures. Heat treatment of food-processing facilities involves using elevated temperatures (46 to 60°C for 24 h) for management of stored-product insect pests. In collaboration with scientists at Kansas State University, we evaluated stage-specific susceptibility of L. serricorne to elevated temperatures in order to identify the most heat tolerant stage. Exposure of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults to 46, 50 and 54°C, in the laboratory indicated the egg stage to be the most heat-tolerant. The lethal time to kill 99% of eggs at 46°C was 605 min; it decreased to 190 min at 50°C, and 39 min at 54°C. Therefore, during structural heat treatments, eggs should be used in bioassays for gauging the effectiveness of heat treatments, because treatments aimed at controlling the egg stage should control all other life stages of L. serricorne.

Technical Abstract: Heat treatment of food-processing facilities involves using elevated temperatures (46 to 60°C for 24 h) for management of stored-product insect pests. Heat treatment is a viable alternative in certain circumstances to the fumigant methyl bromide in certain situations, which is being phased out in the United States, starting in 2005, because of its adverse effects on stratospheric ozone. Little information is available on the response of the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), a pest associated with food-processing facilities, to elevated temperatures. Our main objective was to evaluate stage-specific susceptibility of L. serricorne to elevated temperatures in order to identify the most heat tolerant stage. Exposure of eggs, young larvae, pupae, and adults to heat treatment in a food-processing facility did not clearly show any specific life stage to be heat-tolerant. However, exposure of eggs, young larvae, old larvae, pupae, and adults to 46, 50 and 54°C and 25% RH for fixed times, in the laboratory, indicated eggs to be the most heat-tolerant stage. Time-mortality responses, at each of these three temperatures, showed that the times for 99% mortality (LT99) based on egg hatchability and egg-to-adult development, were not significantly different at each temperature. Egg hatchability alone can be used to determine susceptibility to elevated temperatures; rearing eggs to adulthood is not necessary. The LT99 based on egg hatchability at 46°C was 605 min; it decreased to 190 min at 50°C, and 39 min at 54°C. Therefore, during structural heat treatments, eggs should be used in bioassays for gauging the effectiveness of heat treatments.