Toxicity of carbon dioxide to drugstore beetle Stegobium paniceum and cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne

Mortality and sub-lethal effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) against Stegobium paniceum and Lasioderma serricorne were studied. All life stages of S. paniceum were relatively more susceptible than those of L. serricorne. In both species, the pupal stage was the most tolerant followed by larva, egg and adult. The influence of changing CO2 concentrations (stepwise increase or stepwise decrease) in comparison with constant CO2 concentration on the mortality responses of adults of S. paniceum and L. serricorne at fixed Ct products was also examined. Both changing concentrations of CO2 were more effective than constant concentration and the effect was more pronounced in S. paniceum. CO2, at LD50 doses, prolonged the developmental period of the survivors in both species. Treatment of adults caused a significant reduction in progeny production indicating an adverse effect on the multiplication potential of the survivors.