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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420040
Research Project: Next-Generation Approaches for Monitoring and Management of Stored Product Insects

Location: Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research

Title: Laboratory evaluation of two insecticide-incorporated nets for the management of Prostephanus truncatus

Author
item QUELLHORST, HANNAH - Kansas State University
item SAKKA, MARIA - University Of Thessaly
item BALIOTA, GEORGIA - University Of Thessaly
item Morrison Iii, William
item ZHU, KUN YAN - Kansas State University
item ATHANASSIOU, CHRISTOS - University Of Thessaly

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/21/2026
Publication Date: 4/1/2026
Citation: Quellhorst, H.E., Sakka, M., Baliota, G.V., Morrison III, W.R., Zhu, K., Athanassiou, C.G. 2026. Laboratory evaluation of two insecticide-incorporated nets for the management of Prostephanus truncatus. Journal of Economic Entomology. 119(2):1437-1445. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toag025.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toag025

Interpretive Summary: The invasive larger grain borer is a major pest of stored maize in Mexico, South America, and Africa and threatens to expand its range northward under climate change. With the reduced availability of fumigants and increasing prevalence of resistance to fumigants that are still available for use, there is a need for alternative management tactics. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of two types of insecticide-incorporated nets, including one with 0.4% deltamethrin and the other with 0.34% alpha-cypermethrin against adults of larger grain borer. Although we found that both insecticide netting types caused mortality to larger grain borer, the deltamethrin net provided better efficacy in terms of mortality than the alpha-cypermethrin netting. In addition, insects often recovered after exposure to the alpha-cypermethrin netting in the presence of food, raising concerns about the development of resistance to this insecticide in facilities with poor sanitation. Overall, our study highlights the effectiveness of an alternative pest management tactic that could be useful in diversifying pest management programs at food facilities.

Technical Abstract: The invasive larger grain borer (Prostephanus truncatus) is a major pest of stored maize and threatens to expand its range under climate change. With the phase-out of methyl bromide, and increasing resistance to phosphine, the most commonly used fumigant, there is a need for alternative management tactics. Here, we present an evaluation of the effectiveness of two types of insecticide-impregnated nets (0.4% deltamethrin, D-Terrence, Vestergaard, Lausanne Switzerland; and 0.34% alpha-cypermethrin, Carifend, BASF Ag, Ludwigshafen, Germany) against adults of Prostephanus truncatus. To do this, we evaluated mortality in petri dishes which had been lined with the two netting types. Netting of both types with no insecticide treatment served as the control. Twenty adults were placed into each dish and insects were exposed for 60, 90, 120, 240 min, 1, 3, and 5 days. Delayed mortality after exposure on a clean food source was then evaluated after 7 days. There were a total of 9 replicates for each treatment combination. Both insecticide netting types were effective for controlling P. truncatus compared to the control. Carifend was 4.6 times more effective than the control and D-Terrence was 8 times more effective than the control in terms of direct mortality. Overall, D-Terrence provided better efficacy in terms of mortality and significantly less recovery compared to Carifend. Our study highlights the effectiveness of an alternative pest management tactic. Future studies should evaluate dispersal after exposure to the netting.