Insects that attack growing crops continue to evolve and adapt insofar as many of them now present a pest hazard even once materials, e.g. food and timber, are harvested and put into store. Storage of produce at any stage is susceptible to pests, whether it is in manufacturing facilities, processing plants, distribution warehouses, shipping containers, restaurants or retail outlets.
Insect pests in stored commodities can cause damage in a variety of ways:
- Destruction or damage to the materials or foods through larval activity
- Contamination with larval by products, e.g. webbing and frass. Webbing can entirely coat commodities and may be responsible for blocking machinery and ducts. The problem is exacerbated when webbing becomes mixed with frass, food and general debris.
- Reducing nutritional value of foods
- Spoiling food by defecating on the product. This can lead to the production of fungi and disease causing toxins. These in turn can cause human illness and potentially the production of deadly mycotoxins that can lead to illness in most livestock and have been linked to some forms of human cancer.
- Spoiling by contaminating with whole bodies or insect fragments. If found by consumers in produce this is both off putting and potentially very damaging to the reputation of the producer.
The two most common species of stored product moths are:
Ephestia
This is a genus of small moths belonging to the family Pyralidae. Some species are significant pests of dry plant produce, such as seeds and cereals. Best known among these are probably the cacao moth (E. elutella) and the Mediterranean flour moth (E. kuehniella).
Plodia interpunctella
The Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella is a very common household pest, feeding principally on stored food products. In fact, it has been called the most important pest of stored products commonly found in our homes or grocery stores. The larvae are general feeders and can be found in grain products, seeds, dried fruit, dog food, and spices.
Monitoring systems are important component of an effect SPM control system and should be used as part of an integrated pest management program, one the monitoring traps have caught adult moths with the use of pheromone lures that attract the male moths, the species can be identified and a suitable treatment program specified and implemented
