Stored Grain Insect Management

Doug JohnsonExtension Entomologist

General Management Recommendations

• Clean the bins thoroughly!• Fumigate beneath perforated floors• Treat the interior and exterior of bins• Control Moisture• Control Temperature• Monitor Insect Activity

Secondary Feeders

Flour Beetles

Rusty Grain Beetle

Indian Meal Moth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_meal_moth

Lesser Grain Borerin Wheat

Primary Feeder

Rice WeevilAdult

Primary Feeder

Rice Weevil Larva

Number of granary weevils in 80o F wheat at selected intervals starting with 30 insects

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

0 62 82 91 105 119 178

Days

Num

ber o

f gra

nary

wee

vils

In a non-limiting environment insect populations increase at an INCREASING rate!

Growth of insects with all factors equal except starting numbers.

0500

100015002000

1 2 3 4 5

Time

Num

ber o

f Ins

ects

110100

The starting population size makes a difference!

02000400060008000

10000120001400016000

60 70 80 90

Temperature oF

Num

ber o

f Ins

ects

9%10%11%12%13%14%

Number of offspring 5 months after 50 pairs of rice weevils placed in wheat

%MoistureTemperature AND Moisture

02000400060008000

10000120001400016000

60 70 80 90

Temperature oF

Num

ber o

f Ins

ects

9%10%11%12%13%14%

Number of offspring 5 months after 50 pairs of rice weevils placed in wheat

%MoistureTemperature

02000400060008000

10000120001400016000

60 70 80 90

Temperature oF

Num

ber o

f Ins

ects

9%10%11%12%13%14%

Number of offspring 5 months after 50 pairs of rice weevils placed in wheat

%MoistureMoisture

Aeration Controllers

Pre-Filling Pesticides

• Application under the perforated floor– Fumigation

• Application to the interior walls– Liquid– Dust

• Application to the exterior walls

Growth of insects with all factors equal except starting numbers.

0500

100015002000

1 2 3 4 5

Time

Num

ber o

f Ins

ects

110100

The starting population size makes a difference!

Number of Flour Beetles per Day Captured in Probe Traps in Wheat in

Caldwell Co. KY 2002

050100150200250

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19

Sample Week

Beet

les

per D

ay

Non-TreatedTreated

During Filling

• Fumigation during filling– Concentration in the bin?– No residual control – are there insects present?

Liquid application to the grain stream-Are there insects present?-Insecticides break down rapidly in a hot bin!

Admixture to bulk Grain

Empty

BinTop

DressFieldCorn

PopCorn

GrainSorg. Soy Wheat Barley Oats Rye

Actellic Biobit

(& others)

Centynal

Diacon-D

Insecto

Sensat

Storcide II

Tempo 1B.t. products (Biobit etc.) will control only caterpillars not beetles and is applied to the top 4” of Grain.2Tempo (cyfluthrin) may not be applied to grain.

Empty Bin Only, May NOT be applied to grain

Insecticides

Actellic (Pirimiphos-methyl) (1B)Biobit / Dipel others (Bacillus thuringensis) (11A) Centynal (deltamethrin) (3A)Diacon-D (S-Methoprene) (7A)Insecto (silicon dioxide)Sensat/Contain (Spinosad) (5)Storecide II (deltamethrin (3A)+ chlorprifos-methyl (1B) )Tempo (cyfluthrin) (3A)

Sanitation, Temperature, Moisture

Even if you decide to use insecticides….

these three cultural controls

will make your insecticides more effective.

Monitoring

General Recommendations

• Clean the bins thoroughly!• Fumigate beneath perforated floors• Treat the interior and exterior of bins• Control Moisture• Control Temperature• Monitor Insect Activity

Sanitation, Sanitation, Sanitation

Temperature, Temperature, Temperature

Moisture, Moisture, Moisture

Aeration, Aeration, Aeration

How many times do I need so say it?

If you only remember one thing!

Store Clean Dry GrainIn

Clean Dry Bins

Temperature Pellets TabletsBelow 40 degrees F

Do Not Fumigate

Do Not Fumigate

40 - 53 degrees F

8 days 10 days

54 - 59 degrees F

4 days 5 days

60 - 68 degrees F

3 days 4 days

Above 68 degrees F

2 days 3 days

Minimum Exposure Periods for PHOSTOXIN

Notification Requirements• Authorities and On-Site Workers:

As required by local regulations, notify the appropriate local officials (fire depart- ment, police department, etc.) of the impending fumigation. Provide to the officials a MSDS and complete label for the product and any other technical information deemed useful. Offer to review this information with the local official(s).

• Incidents Involving These Products:Registrants must be informed of any incident involving the use of this product. Please call 1-800-308-4856 or DEGESCH AMERICA, INC. (540) 234-9281/1-800-330-2525 so the incident can be reported to Federal and State Authorities.

• Theft of Products:Immediately report to the local police department theft of metal phosphide fumigants.

Gas Concentration Respiratory Protection

Less than 0.3 ppm None required

0.3 - 15 ppm (or escape from levels up to 1,500 PPM)

NIOSH/MSHA approved full face gas mask - hydrogen phosphide canister combination.

More than 15 ppmNIOSH/MSHA approved self- contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

DRAEGER ACCURO PUMP

Fumigation Management Plan

• Sec. 21 (of label) REQUIRED WRITTEN FUMIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN (FMP).

• A FMP must be written PRIOR to all applications.

• A FMP must be devised to cover application, exposure period, aeration and disposal of the fumigant,…

Equipment Needed• Man-in-Bin sign placed near the control panel or auger power control.

• 2- or 3-inch tape, spray adhesive, and adhesive for polyethylene sheets.

• Applicator’s manual and current label.

• Sufficient fumigant for the volume of the bin.• Tape measure to calculate volume of grain to be treated.

• 2- to 6-mils polyethylene film large enough to cover the grain surface. Attach a rope to the polyethylene film for easy removal after fumigation.

• Cotton gloves for handling phosphine-type fumigant — do not handle tablets with bare hands or wet gloves.

• All fumigations should be done by at least two people, each equipped with a full set of safety equipment, including chemical-resistant gloves, protective clothing, etc.

• If entrance into the structure is required for fumigating the grain, two licensed people MUST be present.

Equipment Needed• Proper respiratory protection for all personnel involved in the fumigation. Check the fumigant label for specific

requirements.

• Probes for applying aluminum phosphide tablets.

• Safety rope to attach to anyone climbing into a bin, and long enough to extend through the bin access point and strong enough so rescue personnel can drag a victim to the exit if necessary.

• Shovels to level grain mass prior to treatment.

• Grain thermometer to measure grain temperature prior to treatment at locations throughout the grain mass.

• Fumigation placards.

• A lock to keep unauthorized personnel out of the building. Be sure everyone is out before attaching the lock.

• Monitoring equipment to check gas concentration available from the vendors listed at the end of this guide.

Temperature X Concentration X Time

Width

Length

Height

Successful Fumigation Requires hold the gas in a three dimensional structureSimilar to filling a balloon with air.

Type of Fumigation Pellets TabletsDosage Range

1. Vertical Storages (such as 200-900/1000 bu. 40-180/1000 bu.silos, concrete bins, steel 150-700/1000 cu.ft. 30-140/1000 cu.ft.bins, etc.)

2. Farm Bins (Butler Type) 450-900/1000 bu. 90-180/1000 bu. 350-725/1000 cu.ft. 70-145/1000 cu.ft.

APPLICATOR’S MANUAL FORPHOSTOXIN® TABLETS AND PELLETS

Below the perforated floor

Above the grain mass

Cubic feet to be Fumigated

SEALING THE BIN

1.) Seal all openings in the bin walls

3.) Calculate rate for the entire bin, including the unfilled roof cone.

2.) Cover the grain surface with 4mil plastic, secured at the edges --OR--

Sam McNeil, University of Kentucky

39’

39’

37,252 Bu

What are we going to do with 300,000 bu. bins?

Phosphine gas penetrates about 25’

PROTECTIVE CLOTHINGWear dry gloves of cotton or other breathable material if contact with Phostoxin® tablets, pellets or dust is likely. Wear a loose fitting long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes and socks.

After fumigation activities, remove all protective clothing, aerate in a well ventilated area then wash thoroughly, separately, before re-use.

If Phostoxin® tablets or pellets become trapped inside clothing, remove clothing, wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly, shower and change into clean clothing.

If application of fumigant is performed from within the structure to be fumigated, approved respiratory protection against phosphine must be worn during fumigation, by all personnel in the structure (see below).

Distributing the Fumigant Calculate the number of tablets or pellets needed,

Deposit them evenly by probing into the grain surface,

Probe fumigant in on uniform grid with each probe about four or five feet apart

Cover the grain surface with the plastic

Attach a line to the plastic to allow removal from outside

Depart the bin

Seal the bin (lock)

The Fumigation Is Not Complete Until The Bin is Clear of Gas!!!

• Unseal the bin• Open vents, remove plastic cover etc.• Operate fans to evacuate residual gas• REMEMBER – you must either have gas

detection equipment or assume that there is gas remaining in the bin!

Important Points to Consider

• Fumigants are by far the most toxic products you will ever use.

• Fumigations should be preformed by Trained Licensed applicators.

• Never fewer than two people.• Phostoxin will explode into fire with direct

contact with water.

Common Ideas That Will Not Work

• Spraying anything through the fan.• Throwing hands full of pellets across the

surface of the grain.• Expecting the gas to move more than 30 ft.

without circulation.

Problem Situation:

• Late winter early spring– Temperature of grain, usually too low• Pellets/tablets will not “gas off quickly” enough

– Will not reach a control concentration– Pellets/tablets will remain in the grain unspent, until warm

enough, so the grain will contain detectable / dangerous amounts of phosphine

Problem Situation:

Grain remains in a bin that is needed for new crop.• Sell the grain if anyone will take it• Feed the grain to livestock• Fumigate the grain before adding new grain to

the bin.• DO NOT store new grain with old grain!

Sam McNeil, University of Kentucky

39’

39’

37,252 Bu

What are we going to do with 300,000 bu. bins?

Phosphine gas penetrates about 25’