Pheromone Technologies Pave a Way to Reduce Stored Product Pests

Tracking down the source of a stored product pest (i.e., Indianmeal moth, warehouse beetle, cigarette beetle, flour beetle, etc.) is a daunting task when looking at a distribution center (DC), food production warehouse, seed facility or any large space holding dried food goods, grain, cereals or textiles. The pheromone technologies and products developed at Insects Limited in the United States provide powerful tools that utilize the insect’s biology to help locate the infestation “needle” in the proverbial “haystack” of a large storage space.

Insects use chemical scents to communicate with each other when they are startled (alarm pheromones), when they are happy and well-fed (aggregation pheromones) or when it comes time to attract a mate (sex pheromones). They also are attracted to food odors or kairomones that advertise a place to eat for the insects. The staff of entomologists at Insects Limited work diligently in their new Center for Stored Product Protection lab to ask the research colonies of insects raised in their facility which pheromone blends or food scents will work best to attract the most problematic stored product pest insects. The best results from professional monitoring systems come when the entomologists from the Center of Stored Product Protection take one of the tested attractant Bullet Lures^® and combine it with a trap that is specifically designed to match the physiology of the insect being monitored. For example, moths often prefer to fly directly into a hanging trap (i.e., NoSurvivor^® brand diamond traps) while many species of beetles are more apt to crawl into a pitfall trap on the floor (i.e., All Beetle^® Trap from Insects Limited).

Pest management professionals need assistance when handed the formidable task of locating a single infested bag or pallet in a warehouse space that may be capable of holding nearly 10,000 pallets. The USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture reported in 2023 that between 20-40 percent of global crop production is lost to pests annually*. If a source of stored product moths or beetles can be detected early enough, the infested material can be removed or treated before the infestation spreads to other areas of the warehouse or other products held in these large storage areas. Early detection is essential when it comes to preventing damage and complaints.

The attraction and design of the professional monitoring systems designed by Insects Limited offers the best means of detecting pest populations early enough to reduce product loss and eventual customer complaints. The role that pheromone monitors play is pivotal in providing a professional and innovative solution to these unique pest situations.

Learn more at www.insectsltd.com.

Reference cited:
^* https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/blogs/researchers-helping-protect-crops-pests