About Red Flour Beetle and Rice Moth

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Module VI Storage Pests
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
Lesson 1 Red Flour Beetle and Rice Moth
About Red Flour Beetle and Rice Moth These two
insects are common pests of shelled groundnuts
(kernels or seeds). However, they are
considered as secondary pests as they are not
capable of infesting well formed and undamaged
pods.
Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut
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About Red Flour Beetle Adult red flour beetles
are 3-4 mm long, oblong, and coppery brown in
color. Slender cylindrical larvae start feeding
on the seed after hatching from the egg.
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About Rice Moth The rice moth has grayish brown
forewings. The creamy white larvae start feeding
on the seed immediately after they hatch.
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Damage to Groundnut Kernels The signs of damage
can be easily recognized. The presence of
webbing indicates rice moth infestation.
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Damage to Groundnut Kernels The signs of damage
can be easily recognized. Powdery remnants of
kernels (but no webbing) reveal red flour beetle
infestation.
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Management of Storage Pests Maintenance of
optimum moisture content (not gt5) is always
critical in preventing the development of storage
pests. For protection against these 2 storage
pests groundnuts should be stored unshelled.
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Management of Storage Pests If groundnuts are
stored as seed, care should be taken to avoid
breakage. Broken seeds should not be stored for
long periods. Dusting with an inert substance
such as attapulgite-based clay dust (ABCD) can
help to minimize storage insect problems.
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Module VI Storage Pests
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
With this, the Lesson 1 on Red Flour Beetle
and Rice Moth in groundnut concludes. Next,
Lesson 2 is about Pod Sucking Bug in
groundnut. Select Lesson 2 in Module VI
contents
Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut