Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T14:25:25.269Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Studies on Beetles of the Family Ptinidae.* VI.—The Biology of Ptinus fur (L.) and P. sexpunctatus Panzer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

R. W. Howe  and
H. D. Burges
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The development of Ptinus fur (L.) and P. sexpunctatus Panzer at 70 per cent. R.H. and several temperatures has been studied.

The optimum temperature for rapid development of P. fur is about 23°C., at which temperature it completes its development in a mean period of 132·1 days on fishmeal. For P. sexpunctatus the optimum temperature for rapid development is slightly below 30°C., development being completed in approximately 111 days on wheatfeed at this temperature.

Eggs of P. sexpunctatus, but not those of P. fur, hatch at 30°C., which is near the maximum temperature for development of P. fur.

Larvae of P. fur normally moult three times at 23°C. on fishmeal, but some have an extra moult.

Well defined diapause as mature larvae in cocoons occurs at low temperatures in some individuals of P. fur ; at 23°C. this lasts about 220 days after normal larvae have pupated ; the period at 20°C. is about 280 days. Diapause at this stage also occurs in P. sexpunctatus. In experiments, the development periods of the diapausing and non-diapausing larvae overlapped to form a continuous series.

Some P. sexpunctatus pass through a period of quiescence as mature adults in cocoons ; at 23°C., this lasted 43·5 days on fishmeal and 103·0 days on wheatfeed (mean periods). In P. fur the pre-emergence period is 30 to 60 days, considerably longer than that of other warehouse Ptinids studied.

Of the foods, wheatfeed allows the quickest development for both species, but fishmeal produces the heaviest beetles.

The adult beetles live for several months. They require food and drinking water. Egg output is small, the mean number of eggs laid per female at 25°C. being 38·6 for P. fur and 21·3 for P. sexpunctatus.

P. sexpunctatus was able to overwinter in an unheated outbuilding and could possibly become a pest on some foods.

P. fur is unlikely to occur in large numbers, owing to its long development period, small egg output and tendency to larval diapause.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 42 , Issue 3 , November 1951 , pp. 499 - 511
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1951

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cotton, R. T. & Good, N. E. (1937). Annotated list of the insects and mites associated with stored grain and cereal products, and of their arthropod parasites and predators.—Misc. Publ. U.S. Dep. Agric., no. 258, 81 pp.Google Scholar
Dobroscky, I. D. (1925). External parasites of birds and the fauna of birds' nests.—Biol. Bull., 48, pp. 274–281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, R. A. (1946). Statistical methods for research workers, 10th. edn.Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Fraenkel, G. & Blewett, M. (1943). The basic food requirements of several insects.—J. exp. Biol., 20, pp. 28–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frickhinger, H. W. (1924). Massenauftreten von Ptinus fur L.—Z. angew. Ent., 10, pp. 469–470. (R.A.E., (A) 12, p. 576.)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herold, W. (1933). Über einige Wohnungsschädlinge (Glyciphagus, Lathridius, Ptinus, Tenebrio, und Lariophagus).—Mitt. Ges. Vorratsschutz, 9, pp. 51–56, (R.A.E., (A), 21, p. 619.)Google Scholar
Hickin, N. E. (1941). Methods used in rearing small insects infesting stored food products.—Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond., (A) 16, pp. 35–38.Google Scholar
Hinton, H. E. (1941). The Ptinidae of economic importance.—Bull. ent. Res., 31, pp. 331–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hinton, H. E. & Greenslade, R. M. (1943). Observations on species of Lepidoptera infesting stored products. XI. Notes on some moths found in bird guano.—Entomologist, 76, pp. 182–184.Google Scholar
Howe, R. W. (1943). Life history data for Ptinus tectus Boie. (Coleoptera, Ptinidae at 70 per cent. relative humidity at 21°C. and 25°C.—Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (A) 18, pp. 63–65.Google Scholar
Howe, R. W. (1949). Studies on beetles of the family Ptinidae 1. Notes on the biology of species in Britain—Ent. mon. Mag., 85, pp. 137–139.Google Scholar
Howe, R. W. (1950). Studies on beetles of the family Ptinidae 3. A two-year study of the distribution and abundance of Ptinus tectus Boield. in a warehouse.—Bull. ent. Res., 41, pp. 371–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hüsing, J. O. (1935). Ueber einen neuen Parasiten Lariophagus distinguendus Först. (Hym. Chalc.) and Ptinus fur L. (Col. Ptin.).—Zool. Anz., 110, pp. 324—326. (R.A.E., (A) 23, p. 512.)Google Scholar
Linsley, E. G. (1942). Insect food caches as reservoirs and original sources of some stored products pests.—J. econ. Ent., 35, pp. 434–439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manton, S. M. (1945). The larvae of the Ptinidae associated with stored products.—Bull. ent. Res., 35, pp. 341–365.Google Scholar
Shapiro, L. D. (1948). Ptinids and Dermestids destructive to wood. [In Russian.]—Ent. Obozr., 30, pp. 53–59. (R.A.E., (A) 37, p. 276.)Google Scholar
Treloar, A. E. (1939). Elements of statistical reasoning, 1st edn.New York.Google Scholar