Time–mortality relationships of larvae and adults of grain beetles exposed to extreme cold

Mortality effects of low temperature exposure to −16 °C were investigated on larvae and adults of the grain beetles Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) and Trogoderma granarium (Everts) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), in the laboratory. The main effects and interactions of exposure time (0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h), developmental stage (larva and adult) and individual’s age (young and old) were examined. After 4 h of exposure 100% mortality has been achieved in most of the treatments. The only exceptions were that of old larvae of T. granarium and O. surinamensis, and adults of T. granarium which needed 48, 8, and 24 h, respectively. T. granarium was the most cold-hardy species irrespective of developmental stage, and age, followed in decreasing order by O. surinamensis and T. confusum. Younger adults were generally more susceptible to cold in the cases of O. surinamensis and T. confusum. On the contrary, older adults of T. granarium suffered higher mortality than younger ones. Larvae of T. granarium were generally more cold-tolerant than adults but the opposite pattern was observed in O. surinamensis and T. confusum. Main effects of exposure time, developmental stage and individual’s age on mortality proved to be significant for all species, with the exception of T. granarium where the effect of developmental stage proved to be insignificant. Lethal time values were estimated via probit analysis. Values of LT50 ranged between 0.7 and 1.0 h for T. confusum, 0.7–1.9 h for O. surinamensis and 1.2–3.4 h for T. granarium. Our results are discussed with findings from relevant studies and the possibility of including extreme cooling to IPM programs against stored product pests is investigated.

► After 4 h of exposure to −16 °C 100% mortality has been achieved in most of the treatments.
► Trogoderma granarium was the most cold-hardy among tested species.
► Younger adults of Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Tribolium confusum were more susceptible to cold.
► Larvae of T. granarium were more cold-tolerant than adults.