Effect of high and low temperatures on the drugstore beetle (Coleoptera: Anobiidae)

Abstract

The drugstore beetle, Stegobium paniceum (L.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), is a pest of stored medicinal and aromatic plants. Generally, mortality of each stage increased with an increase of temperature and exposure time. Heat tolerance for different stages from highest to lowest was young larvae, old larvae, eggs, adult, and pupae. The mortality after 7 h at 42°C for young larvae, old larvae, eggs, adults, and pupae, respectively, was 16 ± 5, 31 ± 6, 48 ± 3, 63 ± 8, and 86 ± 2% (mean ± SEM). Similar trends for stage specific mortality were seen with the lethal time for 90% mortality (LT90) at 42°C; 773,144,12, and 11 h for old larvae, eggs, adults, and pupa respectively. Mortality was too low with young larvae to estimate LT90. The LT90 for young larvae at 42, 45, 50, 55, and 60°C was 25, 20, 3.9, 0.18, and 0.08 h, respectively. The cold tolerance of different stages at 0°C from highest to lowest was adults, old larvae, young larvae, pupae, and eggs. The LT90 at 0°C was 298,153,151, 89, and 53 h, respectively. The LT90 for adults at 5, -5, -10, and -15°C was 792, 58, 2, and 0.8 h, respectively. The supercooling point of adults was -15.2 ± 2°C; young larvae, -9.0 ± 0.8°C; old larvae, -6.5 ± 0.5°C; and pupae, -4.0 ± 1.4°C. Heat treatments that control young larvae should control all other stages of S. paniceum. Cold treatments that control adults should control all other stages of S. paniceum. Dried plants stored at 5°C for 45 d or 42°C for 30 h and then kept below 18°C throughout the rest of the year, should remain pest-free without any chemical control. © 2010 Entomological Society of America.