Changes in the arthropod fauna of an experimental bulk of stored wheat.
Abstract
The following is virtually the authors' summary. About 1, 000 kg English wheat was stored, in two equal bulks, in a damp unheated brick building in southern England for ten years. The storage pests Sitophilus granarius (L.), Ptinus tectus Boield., P. pusillus Sturm, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), Ahasverus advena (Waltl), Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Stnt.) and Attagenus pellio (L.) were introduced, and a number of others, notably Endrosis sarcitrella (L.) and Niditinea fuscipunctella (Haw.), gained access. By means of systematic monthly sampling, the changes in the insect population and in the physical condition of the grain were followed through the ten years. The succession in dominance that occurred is compared with that found in an earlier small-scale experiment [cf. RAE A 52 290] and is interpreted in the light of what is known of the biology of the various species; probable and possible interactions between species are discussed.