Survival of ten stored-product insects on canola

Canola production is important to the Canadian economy, contributing $27 billion each year. Approximately 20 million metric tonnes are harvested annually, with 90% destined for export. But what happens to this product between harvest and usage? Cereals and pulses in storage are often attacked by insects. Insects have also been reported in bins containing canola, but many have been associated with cross contamination of the canola with cereals . The purpose of this study was to assess whether ten stored product pest species, commonly found on cereal products, are able to survive and reproduce on canola. Each species was placed onto seven treatments: (1) wheat flour with 5% brewers yeast (control), (2) whole canola at 8% MC, (3) canola with 10% broken seed at 8% MC, (4) whole canola at 12% MC, (5) canola with 10% broken seed at 12% MC, (6) pure dockage and (7) dockage with broken canola seed. Preliminary results suggest that Tribolium confusum (confused flour beetle), Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (sawtoothed beetle), Stegobium paniceum (drugstore beetle), and Lasioderma serricorne (cigarette beetle) all survive on canola or canola with dockage. These insects have the potential to becoming economically important pests of the canola industry. Whereas, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (rusty grain beetle) and Dermestes maculatus (hide beetle) do not present major threats.