Attraction, arrestment, and preference by immature Trogoderma variable and Trogoderma granarium to food and pheromonal stimuli

Authors: Morrison, William - Rob; GROSIDIER, ROBERT - Kansas State University; Arthur, Franklin; MYERS, SCOTT - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); DOMINGUE, MICHAEL - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Journal of Pest Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2019
Publication Date: 11/16/2019
Citation: Morrison III, W.R., Grosidier, R., Arthur, F.H., Myers, S., Domingue, M. 2019. Attraction, arrestment, and preference by immature Trogoderma variable and Trogoderma granarium to food and pheromonal stimuli. Journal of Pest Science. 93:135-147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01171-z.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01171-z

Interpretive Summary: The khapra beetle has been ranked as one of the 100 worst invasive species in the history of the US. It is a significant quarantine threat, with an increasing frequency of interceptions at ports of entry in the US. The last study on evaluating the best trap and lure for khapra beetle was over 30 years ago, but since then, new products have become commercially available. Because researchers can only work with khapra beetle in APHIS-approved quarantine facilities, research has been slowed into developing behaviorally based management strategies for this species. However, there are a variety of very closely related dermestids already in the US, including the warehouse beetle, which may respond similarly to lures and traps and could act as a surrogate species for the behavioral response of the khapra beetle. The goals of this study were to evaluate the most effective commercially available lure for monitoring khapra beetle and warehouse beetle, and to understand whether their behavioral responses were similar. We found that several lures that incorporated a combination of pheromone and/or food cues were the most attractive, arresting, and preferred by both species. Our research contributes important information for optimizing surveillance for khapra beetle at ports of entry in the country.

Technical Abstract: The invasive khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium, is an economically destructive species and the only stored product insect pest that is quarantined in the USA. In the past several decades, there have been an increasing number of interceptions of T. granarium at ports in the USA. The established trap and lure used for surveillance of T. granarium in high risk areas was developed 30 years ago, but since that time new lures have become commercially available. Because T. granarium is a biosecurity threat in the USA, researchers must work with it in an approved quarantine facility, which slows research and development into mitigation strategies for the species. However, there are closely related dermestids already in the USA but not under quarantine, such as Trogoderma variabile, which may be able to act as a surrogate species for the behavioral responses of T. granarium. Thus, we evaluated the attraction to, arrestment by, and preference between commercially available lures for immature life stages of both these species and whether T. variabile could serve as a surrogate species for T. granarium. The Insects Limited-produced PantryPatrol Gel and Dermestid Attractant Tablet bait were most attractive baits tested and were preferred by both species. However, the behavioral responses of T. variabile were not consistently correlated with those of T. granarium. Our study contributes updated data regarding the most effective lures for monitoring these two species, which can be used by biosecurity experts in developing surveillance programs for T. granarium.