A study of the biological features and the potential population growth between two laboratory strains of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Greece and Serbia is conducted on cracked barley and cracked white rice. The results show that, at a species level, T. confusum is able to complete development on cracked barley but not on cracked white rice. Therefore, cracked white rice proves to be an unsuitable commodity for T. confusum. Larval development on cracked barley is significantly shorter for the Serbian compared to the Greek strain (37.7 and 49.7 days, respectively), but pupal development does not differ between the two strains (6.2 days for both strains). Additionally, male longevity does not differ between the Greek and Serbian strains (144.4 and 151.4 days, respectively), while female longevity is significantly shorter for the Serbian (151.7 days) compared to the Greek strain (186.6 days). Fecundity does not differ between the two strains (11.3 and 17.7 eggs/female for the Greek and the Serbian strain, respectively), whilst survival is higher for the Serbian strain on both tested commodities. The values of the net reproductive rate, the intrinsic rate of increase and the finite rate of increase on cracked barley are significantly higher for the Serbian (7.27 females/female, 0.025 female/female/day and 1.026, respectively) compared to the Greek strain (2.91 females/female, 0.014 females/female/day and 1.014, respectively). It therefore is expected that different strains of T. confusum may exhibit variable phenology as well as potential population growth. Additionally, we expect our results to have bearing on the management of this species.

Residual efficacy of the insecticide deltamethrin, an EC formulation containing 25 g/L AI + 225 g/L PBO (piperonyl butoxide synergist), against lab populations of Sitophilus oryzae, Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum and Sitotroga cerealella was investigated in the laboratory by applying product water solutions (0.25 mg AI/kg) to wheat grain (at 25?1?C and 60?5% r.h.). Adult mortality on 0, 7, 14 and 30 days old deposits was estimated after 2, 7 and 14 days of exposure to treated wheat grain and additional 7 days of recovery. Progeny reduction (PR, %) was also assessed. After 2 days of exposure to deposits of all ages, deltamethrin caused only 0-10% mortality of coleopterans (up to 37% after the recovery period) and 23-30% of S. cerealella, while mortality before and after recovery from 14 days of exposure was 95-50% for S. oryzae, 97-100% for R. dominica, 99-100% for T. castaneum and 100% for S. cerealella. Progeny production of S. oryzae was highest after parents contacted with 14 days old deposit of deltamethrin (PR, 76%), and lowest after contact with fresh deposit (PR, 95%), while R. dominica and T. castaneum had no progeny on any deltamethrin deposit age in wheat (PR, 100%), and S. cerealella had only a very low progeny (PR, 99%). The results showed that the synergised deltamethrin, applied at 0.25 mg/kg in wheat grain, is a highly effective insecticide for storedproduct insect control, while a higher dose is required for successful residual control of S. oryzae.

Residual efficacy of EC formulations of two insecticides: cypermethrin supplemented with the synergist piperonyl butoxide, and pirimiphos-methyl, against adults of the Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier), was investigated in the laboratory (at 25?1?C and 55-60% r.h.) by applying water solutions of products based either on cypermethrin (1.6 mg a.i./kg of wheat grain) or pirimiphos-methyl (4 mg a.i./kg of wheat grain) to wheat grain. Insect mortality on deposits of different age: 0, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days was estimated after 2, 7 and 14 days of insect exposure to treated wheat. After 2 day exposure, cypermethrin caused mortality of up to 46% on all deposits (age 0-180 days). After 7 days of exposure, high efficacy (94-100%) was found only on deposits that were up to 90 days old, while the mortality of S. cerealella adults on all deposits following 14 days of exposure was 98-100%, and it was probably additionally enhanced by natural mortality. Pirimiphos-methyl was 98-100% effective after 2 days of exposure to deposits that were up to 30 days old, while it achieved maximum efficacy (100%) after 7 days of insect exposure to deposits aging for up to 150 days, and 94% efficacy on 180 days old deposits. After 14 days of adult exposure to all deposit ages, there were no surviving insects (efficacy 100%). The results show that pirimiphos-methyl was more effective against S. cerealella adults and had a longer residual activity than cypermethrin.