Egg-to-adult development can occur in as little as 5 weeks, with up to 10 generations per year. Additionally, fine hairs that break off of the larvae can cause allergic reactions. It is difficult to control once introduced into a region because it feeds on a variety of dried materials, is resistant to insecticides, and can go long periods without food.
Researchers in Canada have found the threshold temperature that will kill the beetle at all life stages, even diapause. Infestations can result in up to 70 percent grain damage, making products inedible and unmarketable. Imagine an insect that can hide in cracks only to emerge to cause havoc with a museum collection or a complaining customer. 1. Previous U.S. detections of this tiny beetle have required massive, long-term and costly control and eradication efforts. Its preferred grain and cereal products are wheat, barley, oats, rye, maize, rice, flour, malt and noodles.
Photograph by Anne-Sophie Roy, European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization; www.invasive.org. Imagine an insect that can live in a freezer for five days. Adult, larva, and larval skins of the khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, and the damage caused by the larvae. Khapra beetle is one of the most destructive pests of stored grain products in the world, and can cause the spoilage of up to 70% of infested products. Symptoms of damage. The cuticular and internal hydrocarbons of the khapra beetle Trogoderma granarium were studied by capillary column gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.n-Alkanes, 3-methyl-, 5-methyl-, 11-methyl-, 12-methyl-, 13-methyl-, 14-methyl- and 15-methylalkanes were found in the cuticular and internal lipids.. 2. The khapra beetle is one of the most destructive pests of whole grain and cereal products in warmer areas of the world, particularly North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Next to the dreaded quarantine pest, the Khapra beetle, it is the most serious stored product insect pest. The Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium is a dermestid beetle native to the Indian sub-continent and is a serious pest of stored grains.
Khapra beetle: Trogoderma granarium: Host range: Wheat, maize, jowar, rice, pulses, oil seeds and their cakes. Common names: khapra beetle (English) Trogoderme (dermeste) du grain, dermeste des grains (French) Trogoderma de los granos, escarabajo khapra, gorgojo khapra (Spanish) ءا g g g g g g g g gسفنخ بو g g g g g g gبحلا ةيرع g g g g g g g g gشلا (Arabic) Taxonomic position: Insecta: Coleoptera: Dermestidae. The Khapra Beetle(Trogoderma granarium)is one of the world’s most destructive pests of stored grain products and seeds. The Khapra Beetle is found in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. 2. Adults are harmless. Khapra beetle will feed on most dried plant or animal matter.
It thrives on hot, dry conditions and has proved exceptionally difficult to control.
The beetle also damages dry commodities of animal origin.
The khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) does outsize damage to stored grains and is a top target as a potential invasive species at ports and border crossings. (Image credit: Pest and Diseases Image Library, Bugwood.org) Although this beetle has not become established in the United States, it is occasionally found in incoming cargo and in prohibited agricultural products brought in by international passengers. Imagine an insect that can live for three years without food or water. It has been found in a wide range of cargo including non- agricultural goods, which appear to become infested through contact with infested goods (Anonymous, 2001).
The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, a serious pest of stored grains and other food products in India and elsewhere, has recently been found in 23 counties of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The State Department of Agriculture is conducting an eradication program against it in California.
Feeding by larvae causes product damage, and the feces produced by larvae alters product taste. It reduces the grain into frass. 3. Damage causes significant reduction in seed viability and further damage leads to unfavourable changes in chemical composition. Khapra beetle
The Khapra Beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, is one of the world's most destructive stored-product pests. Grub damages the grain starting with germ portion, surface scratching and devouring the grain.