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Repellency and some biological effects of different ultrasonic waves on Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Abstract
Ephestia kuhniella is one of the most important stored pests in the world. Repellency and biological effects of various ultrasonic signals with different frequencies and wave shapes on adult, larvae and pupae of the pest were studied in laboratory conditions. Choice and non-choice tests was performed by an invented signal generator device. In choice tests, different ultrasonic frequencies, and for each frequency, four different waveforms were emitted by the device and numbers of repelled moths were separately calculated. Dispersion patterns, weight and survival of the pest treated by the ultrasound were compared with control in non-choice tests. The choice tests indicated that shape and frequency of ultrasound significantly affected evasive behavior of the moths by the waves. The highest repellency effects of ultrasound were observed at frequencies of 43–45 kHz and wave shapes of Sin (x) and Cos (x). Male moths significantly were more affected by the ultrasound. In non-choice test, weights of the pest larvae and pupae and the larvae survival were significantly reduced when they treated by ultrasound with frequency 40–45 kHz and Sin (x) wave shape that emitted by specific pattern. Also, our findings showed that the larvae and adults considerably tend to avoid from the ultrasound source. Results of the study can be applied for control of the pest in store locations or silage.
... Using ultrasonic signals for lepidopteran pest control (Huang et al. 2003, Huang and Subramanyam 2004, Zha et al. 2013, Salehi et al. 2016) as well as non-lepidopteran insect pests (Kalimuthu et al. 2020, Ozkurt 2021 has been suggested by many researchers. There are numerous sonic and ultrasonic devices such as insect pest repellers and pest ultrasonic suppressers claimed to be effective in controlling a wide range of insect pests. ...
... The signal generator device (SGD) and its intermediate software, Function Generator version 1.1 (manufactured by Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Ahvaz, Iran and Ahvaz Robotic Company, Ahvaz, Iran) which was described by Salehi et al. (2016), were used for generating various ultrasonic frequencies (21-100 kHz) and wave shapes at intensity 50 W/m 2 . ...
... The experiment was performed according to the method adopted by Salehi et al. (2016) in which ultrasound and control glass chambers (0.2 × 0.2 × 0.2 m) were connected using a glass connective tube (40 × 5 × 5 cm). The ultrasound emitter was located on the lateral side of the ultrasound chamber (Fig. 1). ...
The pink stalk borer, Sesamia cretica Led. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most important sugarcane pests in many regions of the world, causing severe damage to sugarcane every year. This insect has a specialized form of the auditory organ called the tympanal organ, and ultrasound can be employed as a potential tactic employed in physical control strategy against the pest. The present study evaluates the efficacy of ultrasound in controlling the pest in laboratory conditions. For this purpose, the repellent properties of various ultrasonic frequencies ranging from 21 to 100 kHz with 0.5 kHz intervals and wave shapes, including Sin(x), Cos(x) square, and sawtooth, were studied in choice experiments on the moths. The repellent effects of ultrasonic waves at frequencies 39.5 and 37.5 kHz were more significant than other frequencies in male and female moths, respectively. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the repellent properties of different wave shapes. In non-choice experiments, the effects of the most repellent ultrasonic treatment, at frequency 37.5 kHz, on biological characteristics of various life stages and distribution patterns of the moths were investigated. The results showed that the ultrasonic treatment causes substantial reductions in many biological parameters of the immature life stages of pests, including longevity, weight, survival rate, and fecundity. Moreover, the pattern indicated that the moths tended to escape from the ultrasound. The findings of this study can be employed for manufacturing the ultrasonic repeller to be used in sugarcane fields.
... In this study, E. keuhniella larvae and eggs were used as hosts. For rearing of E. kehniella larvae, a mixture of wheat flour (1.5 kg), wheat bran (0.5 kg) and baker's yeast (3 g) were used as the diet (Shams-Salehi et al., 2016). The diet was poured into pans 40 cm in diameter and 10 cm in depth, and 1 g of fresh E. Keuhniella eggs was spread on the diet. ...
... The oviposition containers consisted of large funnels, and one side of the fennel opening was covered by a thin net gauze. Moths entered the funnel from the narrow bottom, the lid was blocked, and the funnels were placed on oilpaper so that the moths could lay on the paper surface (Shams-Salehi et al., 2016). For bioassay experiments, 2-day-old last-instar larvae were directly collected from the rearing pans using a fine pincet. ...
... The larvae of E. kuehniella causes contamination of the stored products, poor quality of the products, and health risks to consumers (Abdelmalek et al., 2017). Larvae and their silken webs make the products unsuitable for consumption and cause huge losses to farmers and food producers (Shams Salehi et al., 2016). ...
The present work aimed to evaluate the fumigant toxicity of essential oils extracted from five aromatic plants against Ephestia kuehniella (Zell.) and its impact on the parasitoid Bracon hebetor (Say). The chemical composition of all the essential oils showed that they were mainly composed of oxygenated monoterpenes. Among all the tested oils, Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehn.) oil was the most effective against both E. kuehniella larvae and adults with LC 50 of 165.06 and 0.20 μL/L air, respectively. The next most toxic oil was Pelargonium graveolens (L.) oil. The mortality rate was affected by the exposure time and the concentration; E. camaldulensis reached 100% larval mortality at 300 μL/L air after 60 h. Oils had differential impact on B. hebetor, E. camaldulensis killed all the larvae within 24 h, while there was no mortality in Ocimum basilicum (L.) till day 5. The enzyme inhibitory effects of E. camaldulensis oil on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) in E. kuehniella larvae were 64.46 and 51.45% respectively, which was the highest among the tested oils. These results imply that although E. camaldulensis and P. graveolens oils have potential as fumigants against E. kuehniella, their application could harm non-target beneficial insects. O. basilicum oil might be more suitable for integrated pest management strategies because it had a potent effect on insect moths and was less toxic to B. hebetor.
... Marco et al. [5] applied UV LEDs as light sources for trapping macro-moths (Lepidoptera). Salehi et al. [6] used ultrasonic signals to study the Mediterranean flour moth and the repellency and biological effects of various ultrasonic signals with different frequencies and wave shapes on adults, larvae, and pupae of the pest. They found that ultrasound signals in the frequency range 43-45 kHz and the Sin (x) or Cos (x) wave shape had the greatest deterrent effects on the moths. ...
To investigate an effective physical pest control method for tea trees, we designed and manufactured a suction-based pest-capture machine (hereafter labeled the “pest vacuum”) and conducted a test and field experiment to evaluate its effectiveness in the control of Empoasca vitis Göthe (E. vitis). Based on the proposed model, the minimum practical air velocity of the pest vacuum was 5.85 m s−1. The field experiment included two treatments and a blank control. In treatment 1, we used the pest vacuum along tea trees only once, while in treatment 2, the pest vacuum was used along trees twice, separately, in 2 consecutive periods, and with an interval of more than 30 min. The results show that a highly significant difference arose among the dropping rates of the two treatments and the blank control instantly after suction, a significant difference among the dropping rates 7 days later, and no significant difference 14 days later. The dropping rate and the effective rate of prevention of treatment 2 reached 81.87% and 80.60% instantly after suction. Moreover, the effective rate of prevention of nymphs was slightly higher than that of adults. Overall, the pest vacuum had a prominent, albeit short-term, effect on the control of E. vitis. Seven days after the suction, it is better to repeat the suction five days after the first suction. The pest vacuum provides a valid physical method for pest control, so more attention should be paid in future investigations to reducing the weight and working noise of the pest vacuum.
... Fumigations with biocides including phosphine and methyl bromide have been widely used to control the pests in silo and other similar environments (Zettler and Arthur 2000;Salehi et al. 2016). However, fumigant applications have been restricted in many regions of the world due to their side effects on nontarget organisms and pest resistance (Rajabpour et al. 2019). ...
The entomopathogenic fungi are safe and ecofriendly biocontrol agents which can be applied against stored product pests. In this study, potentials of some Iranian isolates of Lecanicillium lecanii (PAL6, PAL7 and PAL8) and Lecanicillium muscarium to control Tribolium castaneum (AGM5) were investigated under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, the LC50 and LT50 values of each isolates to adults of the beetle were estimated. Results showed that all of the isolates were virulent to the pest. The estimated LC50 values were ranged from 2.8 × 106 to 6.13 × 1022 (conidia/mL). The lowest and the highest LC50 values were estimated for L. lecanii (PAL7) and L. mucarium (isolate AGM5), respectively. The LT50 values varied from 4.99 to 13.65 days. The LT50 values were decreased by increasing conidial concentrations of each isolate. Moreover, at each conidial concentration, the LT50 values for L. lecanii isolate PAL8 were significantly lower than other isolates. Totally, among the isolates, L. lecanii isolate PAL7 (at concentration 107 conidia/mL) is the most promising isolate. The laboratory study is preliminary, and further experiments under field condition are required before any recommendations.
In the chapter titled “Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS), and Machine Learning in Pest Status Monitoring” from the book “Decision Systems in Agricultural Pest Management,” the focus is on the significance of precision agriculture in addressing global food security challenges. The chapter explores how advanced sensors and analyses play a crucial role in optimizing agricultural practices and improving crop yields. By integrating state-of-the-art technologies such as remote sensing (RS), GIS, and machine learning (ML), precision agriculture enters a new era of revolution, enabling more precise and adaptable management of agricultural systems. Remote sensing, especially when combined with Artificial Inteligence and ML, has shown to be effective in monitoring agricultural health and making informed decisions in integrated pest management (IPM). The utilization of RS technology provides rapid and detailed data on pest populations, aiding in decision-making processes. Furthermore, the integration of GIS, GPS, and RS technologies offers valuable spatial data for evaluating population changes and monitoring pest occurrences over large areas or over time. This chapter highlights the importance of leveraging high-tech solutions in agricultural pest management for sustainable and efficient practices. Within this chapter, fundamental and practical concepts related to RS, GIS, various algorithms in ML, and their potential applications in IPM are explored. Through practical case studies, we aim to envision the near future for using these tools in decision-making processes related to pest management.
Background and Objectives
Ultrasonic waves are mechanical waves that can adversely affect insects' biological and reproductive characteristics. On the other hand, low temperatures are regarded as a non-chemical and residue-free method for controlling stored-product insects because they affect the growth, development, population parameters, survival, reproduction, and various physiologic aspects of insects. In this research, due to the delayed effects of low temperatures, we examined the influence of pre-exposure of different developmental stages of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, to ultrasonic waves on the lethal and sub-lethal effects of 4 °C temperature against emerged adults. The study's main goal was to mitigate the delayed effects of low temperatures.
Materials and Methods
All experiments were conducted at the Entomological Research Laboratory within the Department of Plant Protection at the Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The insect utilized for the research was reared on wheat flour at room conditions. Ultrasonic waves (20-60 kHz) were applied to eggs, first- and fifth instar larvae, and pupae. In addition, the following developmental stages were continuously exposed to ultrasonic waves: 4 days: egg pre-exposure; 9 days: eggs and first-instar larvae; 14 days: eggs to second-instar larvae; 19 days: eggs to third-instar larvae; 24 days: eggs to fourth-instar larvae; 33 days: eggs to fifth-instar larvae; and 40 days: eggs, five larval instars, and pupae. After pre-exposure treatments, emerged adults were exposed to 4 °C. Furthermore, LT50 and LT95 values were estimated for adults. Moreover, the sublethal effects of low temperature on male and female longevity, the fecundity of newly-emerged adults, and the percentage of egg hatches were investigated.
Results
Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)
45(4), Winter, 2023
According to the results, pre-treatment of Mediterranean flour moth eggs with ultrasonic waves for 3 and 4 days significantly reduced the LT50 and LT95 of the exposed eggs when exposed to low temperature. In addition, pre-treatment of first and fifth instar larvae to ultrasonic waves did not reduce LTs of low temperature on emerged adults, whereas pre-treatment of pupae for eight days and consecutive pre-treatment of different developmental stages for 24, 33, and 40 days reduced LTs of low temperature significantly against emerged adults. In this study, although low temperature ultimately caused the death of adult insects, it increased the adults' longevity from 8-10 days up to 28-46 days. Furthermore, no significant effect of pre-treatment of eggs and first instar larvae with ultrasonic waves was observed on the longevity, fecundity and percentage of egg hatch of emerged adults. Moreover, pre-treatment of fifth instar larvae and pupae had a noticeable effect on adult longevity and fecundity, but did not affect egg hatchability. In all cases, pre-treatment of newly emerged adults with low temperature had a major effect on these traits. According to the findings, the longevity of male and female adults exposed to low temperature was significantly shorter than that of the control group following their release from these conditions. The results demonstrated that low temperature reduced pre-treated adult insects' fecundity and egg- hatching rate.
Discussion
The current study's findings amply demonstrated that pre-exposure of some developmental stages (for example, larvae and pupae) of the Mediterranean flour moth could reduce LTs of low temperatures against emerged adults while also increasing the negative effects of these temperatures on their longevity, fecundity, and percentage egg hatch. This observation can be used to control stored-product insect pests.
Abstract
The biotechnical struggle against pests aims to reduce the damage of insects below the economic damage threshold with the help of all sound, odor and visual factors that negatively affect the insect population. One of the biotechnical control methods is the use of sound waves against insects. Moths including Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), detect the sounds emitted by predator bats at 20-200 kHz with their tympanal organs. During flight, a pyralid moth which detects ultrasonic sound, immediately moves away from the source of sound with a sudden maneuver or remains motionless by throwing itself to the ground. Based on this behavior of pyralid moths, sine and square waveforms between 40-50 kHz (21 different frequences) were applied on E. kuehniella, in a choice test system in laboratory conditions. Ultrasonic waves were applied to E. kuehniella adults from a distance of 50 cm, who were in the choice tunnel. Motionless or escape behavior of the moth when exposed to ultrasonic sounds, was investigated. As a result of the research, it was determined that E.kuehniella, which were released in the choice tunnel, remained motionless both in the non-sound control application and against all applied frequency and waveforms.
Noctuid moths with tympanal organs perform a series of evasive maneuvers when exposed to bat-like ultrasounds. In this paper, we tested the hypothesis that certain ultrasound frequencies are environmental stress factors that have physiological effects on noctuid moths. The effects of ultrasound produced from a commercial device on the antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POX), were investigated in the adults, pupae, and larvae of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Our results showed that the effects of ultrasound-stress on antioxidant enzymes depended on the developmental stages of H. armigera and the duration of exposure. A significant (P < 0.01) increase in POX activity in adult and larval H. armigera was observed 40 minutes after ultrasound exposure. The results indicated that ultrasound stress has the potential to alter the antioxidant enzyme system in H. armigera.
Effects of ultrasound from a commercial device on reproduction in the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), were investigated in paired Plexiglas enclosures, one with ultrasound and one without (control treatment). In each of the five paired trials, 10 newly emerged male and 10 female moths were introduced into each enclosure. The commercial device produced peak frequencies at 21, 25, and 35kHz, and a 94dB sound pressure level at a distance of 50cm. In enclosures with ultrasound, female moths had 27% fewer spermatophores and produced 48% fewer larvae than those not exposed to ultrasound. Furthermore, ultrasound reduced total and individual larval weights by 66% and 35%, respectively, when compared with the control treatment. About 17% more moths were found on the enclosure floor in the presence of ultrasound when compared with those not exposed to ultrasound. This is the first paper documenting the effects of ultrasound on reproductive performance of P. interpunctella. These laboratory data suggest that the use of ultrasound against P. interpunctella may be an appealing and effective behavioral management strategy.
Six major monoterpenoid constituents of essential oils from aromatic plants grown in Turkey namely, carvacrol, 1,8-cineole, menthol, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol and thymol were tested for their fumigant activity against adults and eggs of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum du Val and larvae and eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. Doses between 5.8-184.8 mg/l air and exposure periods of 24-96 h were used. All six constituents showed fumigant activity in varying degrees against all tested insect species and their stages. The most active constituent was carvacrol and achieved > 90 % mortality against all test insects at 46.2 mg/l air and an exposure of 24-96 h except for E. kuehniella larvae which required a higher dose, 184.8 mg/l. Although higher doses of 46.2-184.8 mg/l were necessary, γ-terpinene also caused 99% mortality in all test insects after 26.4-57.5 h. This was followed by thymol and terpinen-4-ol which achieved the same mortality against only one insect species and stage in a dose range of 46.2-184.8 mg/l. The constituents 1,8-cineole and menthol achieved less than 99 % mortality against any insect species tested at doses and exposure periods used. The most tolerant insect stage was E. kuehniella larva and at least a dose of 184.8 mg/l air was needed for 99% mortality with the monoterpenoids tested.
If we define ears as any structure that can detect sound waves, then a review of auditory receptors in arthropods is faced with the problem of treating a great diversity of sound waves employed in this large taxon, either for social communication, or for the detection of predators or prey. Hearing may then include the detection of sound waves in air or water, the various kinds of waves in solids, at the water/air interface etc. At the same time, there is an enormous variety of mechanoreceptors involved in the detection of sound, and some of these are not even specialized for detecting a particular kind of sound. For example, any arthropod sensillum that usually monitors stress or strain in the cuticle may in addition respond to substrate vibrations. The sensory organ in the second segment of the antenna (Johnston’s organ) may function in the near-field as a displacement sound receptor in mosquitoes and Drosophila (Ewing 1978), as a device for autocommunicative echolocation in gyrinid beetles using water surface waves (Rudolph 1967; Tucker 1969) or as a sense organ involved in the regulation of insect flight or the control of swimming behaviour (Burkhardt and Schneider 1957; Gewecke et al. 1974; Gewecke 1980), to mention only a few. Considerations of space prevent us from reviewing the great variety of receptor types in arthropods, and we will focus here on receptors responding to airborne sound and to substrate vibrations. However, at the end of this chapter we offer the reader a list of articles dealing with aspects of hearing in arthropods that are not covered in this review.
Sound production in the mole crickets Gryllotalpa vineae and G. gryllotalpa is compared with that in Gryllus campestris. In all species action of the plectrum of the left forewing on the file or pars stridens of the right wing causes the harp areas of both wings to vibrate in phase with each other. As the lateral and dorsal fields of the wing are coupled flexibly, the dorsal field resonates freely. The available muscular power of G. vineae is about 3·5 mW., of G. gryllotalpa about 1 mW., and of Gryllus about 1·2 mW. The mesothoracic musculature of Gryllotalpa is fairly similar to that of Gryllus. The calling song of G. vineae has a fundamental frequency of 3·5 kHz, a pulse length of 8 msec, and a pulse interval of 14 msec, at 16°C. The song is very pure with a second harmonic of —26 dB. Simulations of the song made with modulated oscillators are of similar purity; the song can be regarded as a modulated pure note. The sound distribution has been measured, and from the area of an isobar plot and calculation of the mean power of each pulse, the total mean sound power output is 1·2 mW. and the peak power 3 mW. The efficiency of conversion of muscular to acoustic power is about 35%. G. vineae builds a double-mouthed horn-shaped burrow for singing. This contains a bulb which probably tunes the horn to act as a resistive load to the vibrating wings. The double mouths act as a line source with directional properties which concentrate the sound in a disk above the length of the burrow. The probable advantage of a directed sound output in attracting mates is considered; the disk-shaped pattern will be better than a hemispherical pattern of similar power. G. gryllotalpa also builds a hom, but this is larger than that of G. vineae and the song frequency is far lower, at 1·6 kHz. Although the sound power is far lower, about 2·5 × 10−5 W., the horn appears to act as a resistive load to the wings. Gryllus produces only about 6 × 10−5 W. at 30°C. This is attributed to the small size and hence low radiation resistance of the wings. Estimates are made of inertial losses that occur in sound production and these are shown to account for a substantial part of the mechanical power in the systems of both G. vineae and Gryllus.
