Evaluation of Three Insecticides Against Poultry Litter Beetles, 1986

Adults and mature larvae of both litter beetle species were exposed continuously or for 2 h to Rabon 50% WP, Sevin XLR, or Actellic 7E on treated filter papers. For the continuous exposure experiment, 20 no. 4 filter papers (7 cm diam) were sprayed with 50 ml of either Rabon (1600 or 320 mg AI/m2), Sevin (2000 mg AI/m2), Actellic (250 mg AI/m2), or a water control while tacked to a 0.5 m2 board. Treated filter papers were placed individually into 9-cm diam plastic petri dishes and allowed to dry. The next day, 10 late-instar larvae or 10 four-week-old adults of the lesser mealworm (LMW) or hide beetle (HB) were added to each petri dish (100 total petri dishes-5 replications/treatment/beetle/stage). No. of dead were recorded at 6, 24, 48, and 72 h and % mortality calculated (corrected using Abbott's formula and transformed by arcsin Vp for the analysis). Mortality in the controls was low except by 48 and 72 h for the HB due to cannibalism. Treatments at each sampling period for each beetle stage were compared by Fisher's protected LSD test. For the 2-h exposure experiment, similar procedures were followed except 1-week-old adult beetles were used and the treated filter papers were removed after 2 h and a small amount of food, flshmeal (HB) or wheat bran (LMW), was added to each petri dish to reduce cannibalism.