Survey of Trogoderma species (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) associated with international trade of dried distiller’s grains and solubles in the USA: Presentation

Dried distiller’s grains and solubles, DDGS, is a valuable commodity with substantial international trade. Vietnam discovered an infestation of Trogoderma inclusum, an actionable quarantine pest, in DDGS from the USA in 2012. All subsequent shipments to Vietnam were required to be fumigated. A shipment to Vietnam from the USA 2015 was then discovered with T. variabile. We surveyed the presence and activity of T. inclusum and T. variabile at locations in the USA that provide DDGSs for shipment to Vietnam. Seven facilities in four states that either produced DDGSs or that facilitated bulk shipments were studied. Pheromone traps were deployed at each location and monitored for several weeks. T. variaible was trapped at all seven sites while T. inclusum was trapped at just five of these. T. variabile were captured in nearly every trapping period and at higher numbers than T. inclusum at five locations, while two locations captured more T. inclusum than T. variabile. Spatial variation seemed to occur within each site, but there was no common pattern among facilities. Substantial numbers of beetles were caught in the outdoor sticky flight traps for most locations, except for relatively low flight trap numbers at locations 1, 4 and 6. The results show that T. variabile and T. inclusum are commonly associated with DDGSs produced in the USA, that these beetles could infest product being shipped overseas, and provide information that can be used to develop risk assessment and pest management programs for the future.Dried distiller’s grains and solubles, DDGS, is a valuable commodity with substantial international trade. Vietnam discovered an infestation of Trogoderma inclusum, an actionable quarantine pest, in DDGS from the USA in 2012. All subsequent shipments to Vietnam were required to be fumigated. A shipment to Vietnam from the USA 2015 was then discovered with T. variabile. We surveyed the presence and activity of T. inclusum and T. variabile at locations in the USA that provide DDGSs for shipment to Vietnam. Seven facilities in four states that either produced DDGSs or that facilitated bulk shipments were studied. Pheromone traps were deployed at each location and monitored for several weeks. T. variaible was trapped at all seven sites while T. inclusum was trapped at just five of these. T. variabile were captured in nearly every trapping period and at higher numbers than T. inclusum at five locations, while two locations captured more T. inclusum than T. variabile. Spatial variation seemed to occur within each site, but there was no common pattern among facilities. Substantial numbers of beetles were caught in the outdoor sticky flight traps for most locations, except for relatively low flight trap numbers at locations 1, 4 and 6. The results show that T. variabile and T. inclusum are commonly associated with DDGSs produced in the USA, that these beetles could infest product being shipped overseas, and provide information that can be used to develop risk assessment and pest management programs for the future

Computer Model for Simulating Almond Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Population Dynamics

We developed a computer model for simulating the population dynamics of the almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker). The model incorporates previously published life history data for the almond moth developing on stored peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L., including stage-specific immature developmental time and survival and adult longevity and fecundity. The model was modified so that it also could be used to simulate almond moth population dynamics on stored, dried citrus pulp and stored corn (Zea mays L.). We tested the validity of the model by using 4 previously published data sets. The model was useful for interpreting population dynamics observed in the previously published studies and will be useful for optimizing management strategies for the almond moth

Detection of Stored-Grain Insect Infestation in Wheat Transported in Railroad Hopper-Cars

Levels of insect infestation, insect spatial distribution, and the relationship between the number of insect-damaged kernels (IDK) and the number of insects present in grain samples in three-hopper railcars transporting wheat from country elevators to a mill were studied. Six of eight sampled railcars were infested with more than two species of insects. The most abundant species collected were the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), and rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), with the larval stage of the two species being the most prevalent (\u3e90%). The spatial distributions of these two species within the grain mass were typically clumped in railcar compartments containing\u3e0.4 insect/2.75-kg sample of wheat, and these foci of high-infestation levels varied in compartments within the railcars and among the sampled railcars. There were no significant correlations between IDK and insect density for any of the different stage-specific insect populations that were collected in the grain samples. Mean numbers of immatures and IDK differed among railcars and compartments within railcars, but not among grain depths. Number of insects in the first discharge sample was not correlated with mean numbers of insects in the entire compartment. This indicates that each compartment of a railcar should be sampled to determine level of insect infestation but that sampling at different depths within a compartment is less important

Paleomagnetism of Lower-Middle Devonian and Upper Proterozoic-Cambrian(?) Rocks from Mejeria (Mauritania, West Africa)

The paleomagnetism of two sedimentary rock units from the foreland of the Mauritanides of West Africa, in the Taganet region of Mauritania (Taoudeni basin) was studied to provide constraints on the paleocontinental positions of the southern continents in the Paleozoic. Thermal demagnetization of samples from the lower to middle Devonian Gneiguira supergroup isolated a predominantly single polarity characteristic magnetization (D = 135.7°, I = 27.3°, alpha 95 = 5.3° for N = 10 sites/44 samples) which gives a south paleopole position at Lat = 35.2°S, Long = 43.6°E (dp, dm = 3.0°, 5.6°). The only other direction sometimes present is one aligned near to the present dipole field axis, notably as a high temperature component of reversed polarity in 7 samples (D = 177.9°, I = −26.9°) obtained from 2 sites in weathered outcrop. The Upper Proterozoic to Cambrian (?) Mejeria red sandstone unit, equivalent to the Adrar CO10, although apparently unweathered has multicomponent magnetization. Most common is an intermediate temperature (300° to 550°C) direction (D = 137.2°, 1 = 14.4°, alpha95 = 13.2° for N = 4 sites/ 17 samples) similar to the characteristic direction of the Gneiguira. A high temperature component can be isolated in 11 samples but the directions are randomly distributed. Comparison of the Gneiguira paleopole with other middle to late Paleozoic poles from Africa and Australia suggests that either it represents a Carboniferous remagnetization or that the south paleomagnetic pole for Gondwana already was off southern Africa by the Devonian. The paleogeographic and tectonic consequences of these possibilities differ considerably for the Atlantic bordering continents

Full-vector archaeomagnetic dating of a medieval limekiln at Pinilla Del Valle site (Madrid, Spain)

Archaeomagnetic dating based on the full geomagnetic field vector was carried out on a limekiln excavated at Pinilla del Valle archaeological site (Madrid, Spain). The limekiln tradition in this area is largely documented by historical sources for recent centuries but the date of the studied kiln's last use was unknown. The combination of mean archaeomagnetic directional and absolute archaeointensity results shows that the kiln was last used between ad 1296 and 1413, in good agreement with two independent radiocarbon dates. This study provides the first archaeomagnetic evidence that the local limekiln tradition dates back to at least late medieval times. Furthermore, the inclusion of these data in the Iberian secular variation curve and geomagnetic field models will help to improve the archaeomagnetic dating technique.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MINECO and the European Regional Development Fund (projects CGL2012-38481 and CGL2012-32149). AGacknowledges partial financial support given by PAPIIT IN-105214