[Scientific Papers] http://www.scipapers.com    2007-11-16  

Effects of ultraviolet (254nm) irradiation on egg hatching and adult emergence of the flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum, T. confusum and the almond moth, Cadra cautella

S. I. Faruki*, D. R. Das, A. R. Khan and M. Khatun

Department of Zoology, Rajshahi University Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh


Abstract

The eggs of the stored grain pests, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), T. confusum (Duval) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae) belonging to three age groups, 1, 2, and 3 days-old, were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation with 254nm wavelength (UV-C) for different durations to determine irradiation effects on egg-hatching and adult emergence. An increase in time of exposure to UV-rays caused a gradual decrease in the percentage of hatching of eggs in all age groups of eggs. No hatching occurred after 24 minutes of exposure in 2 and 3 day-old eggs of T. confusum. C. cautella eggs were less sensitive to UV-rays than were T. castaneum and T. confusum eggs. All the exposure periods significantly reduced the eclosion of adults in all the experimental insects. No adults emerged when 3 day-old eggs of T. castaneum were irradiated for 16 or 24 minutes, or from 2 and 3 day-old eggs T. confusum irradiated for 16 or 24 minutes.

Keywords: physical control, red flour beetle, confused flour beetle, almond moth, tropical warehouse moth


*Correspondence: faruki64@yahoo.com, dipalird@yahoo.com

Received: 2 July 2006 | Accepted: 17 December 2006 | Published: 29 May 2007


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