PESTICIDE APPLICATION TRAINING Category 7B Stored Products Pest Control Cooperative Extension Service Manhattan, Kansas Table of Contents Introduction 3 Stored-Product Insects 4 How Stored-Product Insects Multiply Internal Grain-Infesting Insects Other Stored-Product (External) Insects Monitoring for Stored-Product Insects 15 Monitoring Methods Cockroaches 19 Biology and Behavior Common Species Cockroach Control Food-Plant Pest Treatment Areas 24 Areas of Concern Forms of Pesticide Chemicals Grain Handling 28 Preharvest Preparation Harvest Operations Post-Harvest Operations Use of Sprays and Protectants Fumigation of Stored Products 32 Fumigants Preparation for Fumigation Respiratory Protection Devices Fumigant Application Post Fumigation Commodities/Pests to Consider for Fumigation Fumigation Methods for Stored Grain 39 General Fumigation of Structures, Facilities and Other Enclosures 41 Types of Fumigants 45 Threshold Limit Values Safe Use of Fumigants Safety Precautions Fumigation References Vertebrate Pests 51 Rodents Control Techniques Bird Damage Control Directions for Using this Manual This is a self-teaching manual. At the end of each major section is a list of study questions to check your understanding of the subject matter. By each question in parenthesis is the page number on which the answer to that question can be found. This will help you in checking your answers. These study questions are representative of the type which are on the certification examination. By reading this manual and answering the study questions, you should be able to gain sufficient knowledge to pass the Kansas Commercial Pesticide Applicators Certification and/or Recertification examination. 1 2 Introduction ing seizure of products, fines and/or imprisonment of responsible parties. The control of pests in commodity A potential source of pests in food storage (farm and commercial) and products is the raw material(s) from food plants (food manufacturing, which the food is made. Not only processing and warehousing) requires may pests from this source be diffi- a high degree of professionalism cult to remove from the raw material, combined with experience and but they also may infest the process- knowledge. ing plant and equipment, as well as As indicated in this introduction, Pest management programs must products in the plant, transportation the control of pests in commodity utilize combinations of techniques vehicles or warehouse facilities. storage and/or food processing that are effective, economical and Contamination from pests in raw facilities requires a high degree of emphasize prevention of food product materials also may pass through the professionalism combined with contamination. These programs must processing system into finished food experience and knowledge. The be directed at immediate pest prob- products. following sections of this manual lems; at preventing future infestation Why Control provide valuable information for problems; and must respond to applying various pest management routine daily needs, yet be flexible to Stored-Product Pests? practices. meet emergency pest control situa- Control of stored-product pests is tions. Integrated pest management in necessary to prevent contamination/ stored-product pest control tends to adulteration of human foods. Persons emphasize the non-chemical aspects involved in commodity/food storage, of pest control with the judicious use handling and/or processing have the of pesticides. responsibility to prevent food adul- Unsatisfactory control of pests teration. Failure to do so can result in results in contaminated products that human illness and/or death, the can cause health, financial, legal and violation of laws, loss of good will aesthetic problems. Financial losses and resulting loss of revenue. can result from (a) presence of live or In recent years, regulations such as dead insects in products and con- those of the Food and Drug Adminis- tainers; (b) presence of odors, web- tration (FDA), the Environmental bing and frass in products and Protection Agency (EPA), and the containers; (c) loss in faith in the Federal Grain Inspection Service company by the consumer because (FGIS) of the U.S. Department of of these conditions; and (d) direct loss Agriculture (USDA) have been in weight resulting from insect feeding. modified to reflect an increased Persons applying pesticides emphasis on reducing the potential (chemical control measures) must be for pest adulteration of food products. knowledgeable about the chemicals, The Federal Food Drug and application technique and pesticide Cosmetic Act defines a food as regulations to avoid contamination adulterated “if it contains any filthy, of foods and/or legal problems putrid or decomposed substance, or resulting from misuse. if it is otherwise unfit for food (Sec. A variety of pests may be found in 402 (a) (3)), or if it has been prepared, stored commodities and food pro- packed, or held under unsanitary cessing facilities, depending upon conditions whereby it may have been geographic location, physical nature contaminated with filth or whereby it of the facility, and the type of food may have been rendered injurious to being processed. health (Sec 402 (a) (4)).” The filthy, Pests contaminate, damage and/or putrid or decomposed material may destroy stored raw materials and be a result of insects, rodents, birds, processed foods and must be con- or micro-organisms; otherwise unfit trolled to maintain the quality and for food may be the result of con- quantity of products. The presence or tamination by physical or chemical evidence of pests may result in actions contamination, such as glass, metal, by federal and state agencies includ- pesticides, etc. 3 Stored-Product Most stored product insects are Insects either beetles or moths. Both have Insects are important pests of complete metamorphosis, i.e., they cereal grains and stored food. Under have four distinct developmental optimum conditions many of the stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. species can complete their life cycles The larval stage is “worm-like” or in less than 30 to 35 days and lay “grub-like” and differs in appearance many eggs. This results in rapid from the adults. Often, people do not build-up of populations that con- associate the “worms” with the sume and contaminate various stored adults which produce them. Growth Figure 1 products. occurs in the larval stage and after transformation to the adult there is no further growth in size. (Figure 1). Beetles are characterized by rather hard, shell-like bodies with the forewings modified into covers (elytra) which overlay the back of the insect and protect the thin membra- nous flight wings (if present) folded 4TH 4THINSTAR INSTAR LARVA LARVA Larva develops inside kernel. Larva is underneath. The adults of most of the white,Larva wrinkled develops andinside legless. kernel. LarvaRequires is white, four stored-product beetles live and feed moltswrinkled and growthand legless. periods Requires before four molts trans- and growth 3RD3RD INSTAR INSTAR periods LARVALARVA forming to adult. Stage lasts 15 to 40 days. in the same food materials as the larvae. Both have chewing mouth- parts. A pictorial key (Figure 2) illustrates the differences in appear- ance of several species of stored- 2ND2ND INSTAR INSTAR LARVA product beetles. LARVA PUPAPUPA StageStage lasts 5 5 to to 15 15 days. days. Moths that infest cereal grains and stored products are similar to “millers” and have scales covering the wings and bodies. The larvae are 1ST1ST INSTAR LARVALARVA caterpillars which do not resemble LARVALARVA the adults—they have chewing UsuallyUsually only only one one larva larva per kernel. kernel. mouthparts while adults may have TwoTwo larvae larvae may may live live in aa single single kernelkernel separated separated by by thethe crease.crease. coiled siphoning tubes suitable only Exit Exithole hole of ofadult adult from from wheat wheat kernel. kernel. EGGEGG for liquid food. Since liquids are AdultsAdults formed in in4 to 4 7to weeks 7 weeks after after eggs usually not available to them, adults Egg laidEgg in laidsmall in small cavity cavity cut cut into into areeggs laid. are laid. May May remain remain inside kernels kernels for kernel. kernel.Cavity Cavity filled filled and and concealed concealed severalfor severl days days after after beingbeing formed. formed. normally do not feed. Therefore, the with gelatinouswith gelatinous “egg-plug.” “egg-plug.” Eggs Eggs moths usually only live long enough hatch 5 hatchto 15 5 days.to 15 days. Each Each female female Adults may may live live 4 to 45 months.to 5 months. may laymay 300 lay to 300 400 to 400eggs. eggs. to mate and lay eggs. RICERICE WEEVILWEEVIL SitophilusSitophilus oryzaoryza (L.)(L.) How Stored-Product Rice Weevils Weevils are reddish-brownare reddish-brown to black. toThey black. are 1/8 They inch long.are 1/8Two inchlight spotslong. are Two on each light front spots wing. are Body on is eachcylindrical. front Head wing. is prolonged Body isinto cylindrical. snout. Hind wings Head function is prolonged as flight wings.into snout. Hind wings function as flight wings. Insects Multiply Stored-product insects are small and often not noticed unless carefully Table 1. Number of offspring five months after 50 pairs of rice weevils were looked for. Fifty rice weevils can be placed in wheat. placed on the surface of a penny. GRAIN GRAIN TEMPERATURE (˚F) Stored-product beetles can survive in MOISTURE 60˚ 70˚ 80˚ 90˚ any part of a grain mass, in small accumulations of grain or grain 9%0000products in storage or processing 10% 0 0 326 413 facilities, and in “dead” areas in 11% 40 87 885 984 handling or processing equipment. 12% 58 4,827 9,661 2,223 Temperature and moisture content 13% 514 8,692 10,267 3,230 of the food source play an important 14% 951 10,745 13,551 3,934 4 Stored-Product part in the speed with which stored- 15 percent moisture content (mostly product insect populations increase. because molds and other micro- Insects Stored wheat frequently retains organisms take over at moisture summer heat so that temperatures in levels above this point).