Lesser Mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Emergence After Mechanical Incorporation of Poultry Litter into Field Soils

Abstract

Lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer), emergence from North Carolina field soils was evaluated in a controlled experiment simulating land application of turkey litter and again in field studies. Adult lesser mealworms were buried in central North Carolina Cecil red clay at depths of 0, 8, 15, 23, and 30 cm and the beetles emerging from the soil counted 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 17, 21, 24, and 28 d after burial. Beetles emerged from all depths and differences among depths were not significant. Beetles survived at least 28 d buried in the soil at depths < or =30 cm. In seasonal field studies, lesser mealworm emergence from clay soil with poultry litter incorporated by disk, mulch and plow was compared with emergence from plots with no incorporation. Incorporation significantly reduced beetle emergence when poultry litter containing large numbers of beetles was applied to clay field soils during the summer (F = 3.45; df = 3, 143; P = 0.018). Although mechanical incorporation of poultry litter reduced beetle emergence relative to the control, greatest reductions were seen in plowed treatments. Beetle activity was reduced after land application of litter during colder months. Generally, lesser mealworm emergence decreased with time and few beetles emerged from the soil 28 d after litter was applied. Similarly, mechanical incorporation of poultry litter into sandy soils reduced beetle emergence (F = 4.06; df = 3, 143; P < 0.008). In sandy soils typical of eastern North Carolina, disk and plow treatments significantly reduced beetle emergence compared with control.

The Acquisition and Internalization of Salmonella by the Lesser Mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

“…In a study by Harein et al (1972) within a turkey brooder house, 27% of the lesser mealworm samples collected were positive for Salmonella. Lesser mealworms are a difficult pest to control and are often inadvertently dispersed to neighboring residences by the spreading of beetle containing manure to nearby fields (Armitage 1986, Calibeo-Hayes et al 2005. These factors make them potential participants in the dissemination of pathogenic bacteria around the poultry house environment.…”

Evaluation of a Barrier to Inhibit Lesser Mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Dermestidae Movement in High-Rise, Caged-Layer Poultry Facilities

“…Due in part to inconsistent results, biological control agents, including protozoans, fungi, nematodes, and mites, have not achieved widespread adoption by producers Steinkraus et al 1991Steinkraus et al , 1992Steinkraus and Cross 1993). Calibeo-Hayes et al (2005) documented the effectiveness of mechanical soil incorporation of manure containing lesser mealworms on reducing beetle emergence in North Carolina, whereas Kaufman et al (2005) investigated soil incorporation on beetle emergence under New York conditions. Geden and Carlson (2001) Þrst reported on the successful use of mechanical barriers for protection of poultry facilities from the climbing activities of larval lesser mealworm and hide beetles.…”