Mimicry of formaldehyde as aldehyde: a potential and novel chemical compound to control storage pests

Tribolium castaneum is one of the most pervasive pests to threaten the storage of rice in Malaysia; thus, control methods are being studied to overcome this problem. The main objective of this study is to measure the efficacy of paint to attract T. castaneum. Based on preliminary results regarding olfactory responses, the formaldehyde compound in paint is highlighted as a potential and alternative method to be used as bait to trap the T. castaneum that infest rice storage warehouses. This result is likely due to the paint’s main element, formaldehyde, which releases a pungent smell and attracts the pests. Chemically, formaldehyde is a simpler form of aldehyde, with the formula CH2O. The idea to use paint in this study was inspired by the reports of warehouse workers who declared that insect pests are attracted to the paint that is stored in warehouses. Interestingly, this preliminary finding results in an interesting conclusion and a novel outcome in the field of stored product research. To this end, researchers recommend a paint or formaldehyde compound to serve as bait capable of attracting T. castaneum

Evaluation of infestation in parasitoids on Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in three oil palm plantations in Peninsular Malaysia

The bagworm, Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) is one of the most dominant pest species on oil palm plantations in Malaysia which can cause high yield loses up to 43% over two years after a serious infestation. Parasitoids play an important role as natural enemies to reduce bagworm’s population. The interaction of this pest and parasitoids are highly influenced by the availability of bagworms as a host. Highly infested oil palm plantation in Banting, Selangor, Tapah, Perak and Yong Peng, Johor were chosen as sampling sites. This study represented parasitoids species that associated with Metisa plana namely Cotesia metesae (51%: 70 individuals), Brachymeria carinata (21%: 28 individuals), Buysmania oxymora (13%: 18 individuals), Goryphus bunoh (8%: 11 individuals), Pediobius sp. (5%: 7 individuals) and Eupelmus cotoxanthae (2%: 3 individuals) in highly infested oil palm plantation in Peninsular Malaysia. It is known that parasitoid species Cotesia metesae recorded the highest number of emergence among all parasitoids and presence in all sampling sites. The information regarding parasitoids species in oil palm plantation is crucial in order to regulate the bagworms population