Ovicidal Activity of Sulfuryl Fluoride to Anobiid and Lyctid Beetle Eggs of Various Ages2

Abstract

Fumigation with sulfuryl fluoride (Vikane® Gas Fumigant)2 is often used to control structural infestations by anobiid and true powderpost beetles that are widespread or inaccessible to insecticidal surface treatments. Beetle eggs show a wide range of tolerance to sulfuryl fluoride that varies with the age of eggs making them the limiting factor for control. To study dosage requirements for eggs, ovicidal activity tests of sulfuryl fluoride were done by exposing 1- to 7-day-old anobiid, Euvrilletta peltata (Harris) and lyctid, Lyctus brunneus (Stephens), eggs respectively, during tent fumigations of a house. Fumigations resulting in mg-h/liter accumulations of 470 and 289, 5.2 and 3.2 times the drywood termite dosage of 90 mg-h/liter for 22.2°C, permitted some survival and subsequent hatching of lyctid eggs aged 1 and 2 days, with the latter being most tolerant. All other ages of eggs were susceptible to these dosages. At the 3.2-fold rate, the mean survival for eggs of all ages was 11.6%, but 70.2% of the 2-day-old eggs survived. At the 5.2-fold rate, only 3.9% of the eggs survived, primarily due to 24.7% survival of 2-day-old eggs. No differeences were observed between 289 and 470 mg-h/liter dosages for anobiid beetle eggs; the least susceptible apparently were eggs aged 2 to 4 days old. Additional studies are recommended to better define effective rates for controlling eggs of these beetles with reduced levels of gas. To aid logistics, such studies could be confined to the ovicidal activity of 6-fold and lower dosages on the most tolerant ages of eggs.

Susceptibility to sulfuryl fluoride and lack of cross-resistance to phosphine in developmental stages of the red flour beetle,Tribolium castaneum(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

“…However, the dosage reported by Bell et al to achieve 100% mortality of eggs, 1669 gh m −3 , was less than our estimate but higher than the registered rate, although this may be due to differences in experimental methods. The relatively high tolerance of eggs to SF has also been reported for other coleopteran grain pests . Kenaga et al recorded that eggs required 16–50 times higher concentrations than was needed for complete control of other life stages over a 16 h exposure period at 26.7 °C.…”

“…The relatively high tolerance of eggs to SF has also been reported for other coleopteran grain pests. 14,37,38 Kenaga et al 37 recorded that eggs required 16-50 times higher concentrations than was needed for complete control of other life stages over a 16 h exposure period at 26.7 ∘ C. Huge differences in SF concentrations required for complete kill of moth 39 and psocid 40 eggs compared with other life stages have also been observed. Relatively weak efficacy of SF against eggs of coleopteran 15,21,41 -43 and lepidopteran 12,14,20 pests of stored products has also been observed in several fumigation trials in flour mills.…”

Sulfuryl Fluoride as a Quarantine Treatment for Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Ash Logs

“…Sulfuryl ßuoride has been evaluated for control of many other wood-destroying beetles (Williams and Sprenkel 1990;Soma et al 1996Soma et al , 1997Mizobuti et al 1996). Marketed as Vikane gas fumigant (Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN), SF has been used since 1961 in the United States for the control of lyctid, anobiid, and cerambycid beetles infesting structural wood, furnishings, and artwork.…”

Does sorption of sulfuryl fluoride by wheat reduce its efficacy against adults and eggs of Rhyzopertha dominica?

“…Laboratory bioassays indicate that insect eggs are generally 5e30 fold more tolerant to SF than other life stages. This has been demonstrated in beetle pests of museums (Su and Scheffrhan, 1990), wood boring beetles (Williams and Sprenkel, 1990), as well as beetle (Bell et al, 2003;Ciesla and Ducom, 2009;Jagadeesan and Nayak, 2016), moth (Baltaci et al, 2009;Bell and Savvidou, 1999) and psocid (Athanassiou et al, 2012) pests of stored products. Older eggs appear to be more tolerant than younger eggs (Baltaci et al, 2009;Williams and Sprenkel, 1990).…”