Development of Tribolium castaneum on dust

Stored product pests cause economic and qualitative losses in warehouses and food industry where they find favorable environmental condition and rearing media. Modern control techniques are based on IPM, which considers prevention as an important tool, such as careful cleaning, in order to hinder pests. Nevertheless, periodic cleanings in high areas of food plants are difficult to perform and accumulated dust could represent a rearing media for stored products pests. Samples of dust, collected at different heights (7.5 m; 15 m) in a pasta plant, and semolina were characterized. Proximate analyses highlighted similar amounts of proteins, fats, and sugars in dust and semolina. The ash content in dust collected at 15 m was higher than in dust collected at 7.5 m and in semolina. Metal content analyses showed the presence of aluminum, iron, chrome, cobalt, arsenic, and lead in the samples of dust. T. castaneum development was seemingly unaffected by the high metal content in the dust.