(Red rust flour beetle, Nature of damage, life cycle, egg stage, larva stage, pupa stage, Top 5 Management, Natural enemies)
If you are a farmer then after harvesting your crop you must store it in Godown. But a lot of insects and paste in godown will spoil it. Due to which you will suffer a lot, today in this article we will know about the control of one such insect pest.
Red rust flour beetle and its management
Table of Contents
This is an important insect pest on stored grains. Its local name is sursali, lal suri, its scientific name is Tribolium custaneum. Also known as dark beetles. An important insect to be found on stored products, particularly food grains.
| Red Rust flour beetle | |
| Common name | Sutsali, Lalsuri |
| Scientific name | Tribolium custaneum |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Family | Tenebrionidae |
Nature of damage of Red Rust flour beetle
Red rust flour beetle is a specially grown insect on floor grain. In which it attacks the brain which is broken or damaged by other insect-attacked grains.
The insects do not cause damage to whole grain but mainly feed on broken or attacked grains of other insects.
It is generally found in association with khapra beetle rice weevil and laser grain borer and does not cause much damage has been done by these pests.
The insect is especially harmful to floor maida and suji in case of severe infestation flour and flour products turn greyish yellow and become moldy which produces a pungent smell and becomes unfit for human consumption.
Both grab an adult are responsible for causing damage the maximum damage is caused during the rainy season.
The life cycle of Red rust flour beetle
Complete metamorphosis occurs in Red rust flour beetles. Its life cycle occurs in four developmental stages. Eggs, larva, pupa, and adults are found in their life cycle.
Egg stage of Red rust flour beetle
The egg is the first developmental stage of the Red Rust flour beetle in which the adult lays eggs in 4-5 days.
The female starts egg-laying after two to three days of copulation.
The eggs are generally laid singly on the floor or among grains and are sticky, covered with flour are dust, and are different to detect.
A single female can lay 400 to 550 eggs in her lifetime which are cylindrical and white.
The eggs hatch in 4-12 days depending on environmental conditions.
Larva stage of Red rust flour beetle
is the second developmental stage of the life cycle of Red rust flour beetle. In this stage, the larvae break open the eggs.
The young grub is small, slender, and cylindrical in appearance with its body segment having several fine hairs and the terminal segment being in addition provided with a pair of the spine appendage.
At the time of hatching the grub is 1 mm long which grows up to 5mm when fully developed.
It molts 6 to 7 times and becomes full-grown in 27 to 90 days depending upon the food available and prevailing temperature.
At 30 degrees Celsius temperature it becomes fully grown in 22 to 25 days.
The pupa stage of the Red rust flour beetle
is the second developmental stage of Red rust flour beetle life cycle in which the larva undergoes pupation.
Usually, pupation takes place on the surface of the food.
Initially, the pupa is white in a color that generally turns yellow and is covered with hairs on the dorsal surface.
Its pupa stage ends in 5 to 9 days.
The adult stage of Red rust flour beetle
is the last developmental stage of the life cycle of Red rust flour beetle.
It is a small reddish-brown beetle measuring 3.5 mm in length and 1.2 mm in breadth. The head thorax and abdomen are distinct.
The antennae are well developed and last three segments from an enlarged terminal end.
The life cycle is completed in 38 to 114 days and many generations are found in a year.
The Beatle hibernates during winter and resumes activity in spring when they copulate after 12 days of their emergence.
Top 5 Management of Red rust flour Beetle
Red rust flour is a serious paste of beetle flour grain, you can use the methods given below to control it.
- Godowns should be cleaned well and whitewashed if possible moisture-proof grounds should always be preferred.
- All the cracks and holes present in the floor, walls, and ceiling of the store should be filled up with cement and leveled.
- Use new bags as much as possible.
- Adult 20% of the room should be left free between the top layer of the bags and ceiling.
- ED/CT mixture @ 0.5 litre/metric ton of grain.
- EDB ampule (3mi) @ 1/quintal of grain.
- Aluminum phosphide tablets @ 1/metric ton of grain or 7 tablets for 28 cubic meters of space.
- Various storage structures of different capacities have been designed and recommended for storing the grain which prevents the infestation of rats, insects, and microorganisms the most common are:-
Puspa bin
Plant Nagar kuthla
Hapur bin
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