Food preference, repellent and attractive effects of 14-kinds of spices to khapra beetle Trogoderma granariun Everts (Coleoptera; Dermestidae)

Abstract

This study aim to determine the food and oviposition preference for khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, using different types of spices, also the attractive and repellent effects of the spices to the adults and larvae of the beetle.Results indicated that adults and larvae preferred cinnamon spice than the other, with a highest percent of 15.33 and 34.66%,respectively, when given a free choice for feeding. On the other hand adult beetle preferred cinnamon than other spices for eggs laying which gave the highest mean number (22.66) during its lifespan. Cinnamon showed the highest attractive effect to adult while red pepper showed the highest repellent effect.