Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds

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Summary

• Worldwide distribution. On rice, maize, sorghum, wheat, cassava, and other stored products. Important weevil.
• Destructive: attacks sound grains, leaving large cavities, allowing secondary invasions by insects, mites, and fungi.
• Eggs laid into holes chewed in grain, and then plugged. Larvae feed inside the grain, and pupate there. Adults, up to 4 mm, reddish-brown to black with four light-reddish to yellowish spots on the wings.
• Spread with movement of stored grain; the weevil is not a strong flyer.
• Cultural control: harvest at maturity; dry to 12%; keep storage rooms and areas clean; spray bins, and use new sacks; if infestations occurs, locate and treat: if small - sieve, freeze or wrap in plastic and bury; if large, fumigate. Store small amounts of grain in plastic containers.
• Chemical control: consult full fact sheet for details; always check whether the product is for treating equipment, bins and buildings or for treating grain for human use and animal feed. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.