Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

Written by Dr. Yori Sasaerila, Chief Entomologist, Abell Pest Control

The Sawtoothed Grain Beetle , Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), is a common stored-product pest that frequently contaminates foods in warehouses, grocery stores, grain storage facilities and homes worldwide. The adult is about 3 mm long, has a flattened body with six saw-like teeth on each side of the prothorax that gives it its common name Sawtoothed grain beetle. The flat body allows this beetle to enter food containers and poorly sealed packaging through very small cracks and crevices. Mature larvae are yellowish-white with a brown head and are 3 mm long. Both the larval and adult stages infest almost all foods of plant origin such as: cereals, flour, rolled oats, popcorn, rice, dried fruits, breakfast foods, cornmeal, chocolate, bread, nuts, candy, etc.

Its worldwide distribution and wide range food preferences have placed the Sawtoothed Grain Beetle as one of the most serious pests in the food industry. In a severe infestation, this beetle may cause significant reduction of grain weight, followed by mold contaminations on infested grains that further decrease grain quality. Furthermore, the presence of live adults, larvae or body parts of this beetle on food products may render them unfit for processing or consumption, and result in rejection of the infested product.

The seriousness of its infestation is rooted on two main factors: adult ability to attack protected products, and the nature of storage room as their habitat. Adult sawtoothed grain beetles are capable of penetrating into unopened paper or card boxes, or through cellophane, plastic and foil wrapped packages. Once in contact with food, their population growth in storage rooms could be enormous because: (1) of the limitless food availability, (2) the absence of major predators, (3) the constant living temperature, and (4) their life longevity and multivoltine life cycle (adults can live up to three years, with six to seven generations per year). In addition, due to their diverse food preferences, outbreaks could easily spread to other food products in the same storage area that initially are not infested. All of these factors support the notion that prevention is the best strategy to manage this pest.
Few tips to prevent a Sawtoothed Grain Beetle infestation:

Warehouse and Commercial Food Storage Facilities:

• Conduct a thorough inspection to all incoming products;
• Keep buildings in good physical condition and proactively seal any potential pest access points;
• Keep the facility and grounds clean, remove old stored foods and dust from corners, floors and walls since food remaining on the floors, walls and in corners and can harbor insect infestation;
• Immediately remove and thoroughly clean spilled food products.
• Inspect stored products regularly, twice a month during the warm months, and once a month during the cooler months.
• Rotate food stock. If a product, such as a grain, has to be kept for more than 6 moths, application of appropriate insecticide may be necessary.
• Store food product ~50 cm from the wall and ~ 10 cm above the floor.
• Place adequate number of pheromone traps and insect monitoring devices throughout the facility.

At home:

• Maintain careful sanitation as mention above, whenever applicable;
• Thoroughly inspect purchased food from stores before bring them to your house;
• Place susceptible foods in sealable glass, metal or heavy plastic containers.

The use of insecticide should be the last resort. For more detailed control method, please visit our website Abellgroup.com or contact our representative at your town.

News for the Homeowner

By Dusana Bondy

Fall is here and our world is headed into hibernation! To us it mean's shorter days, changing and falling of leaves and most of all winter is just around the corner. To insects and rodents, this is a time of seeking out a warm place to spend the winter! With this cooler weather comes the natural movement of these sometimes-pesky creatures to enter our homes and cottages (if they were not there already!).

Exclusion and Prevention are the keys to controlling these pests and keeping them from sharing your space. So, if you suspect or have had unwanted visitors in the past, make sure to start from the outside, keeping the area around your house "a pest free zone".

More information can be found at www.abellpestcontrol.com. A detailed inspection around your home can be performed by a trained Pest Control Professional to give you tailored advice on keeping pests out of your family's home.

Here are a few things to look out for and maintain while cleaning this year:

• Exterior doors fitted with door sweeps
• Windows and door screens should be intact and create a seal
• Holes and gaps around pipes or in structure are thoroughly sealed
• Repair structural damage to soffits or fascia
• Exhaust covers and vent screens should be present
• Clean eaves to prevent debris from collecting and causing water to sit stagnant
• Keep tree branches and shrubs away from the structure. Vegetation close to or touching the house provides runways for rodents and carpenter ants
• Remove tall grass or heavy vegetation growth around the foundation
• Eliminate food and garbage spillage present around exterior grounds

Popcorn Crunch

By Dusana Bondy

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
3 quarts popcorn, popped
1 cup dry roasted insects, chopped

Blend the butter and honey together in a saucepan and heat gently. Mix the popcorn with the insects and pour the butter-honey mixture over it. Mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet in a thin layer. Bake at 350 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Break into bite sized pieces.