Infestation and Damage of Poultry House Insulation by the Lesser Mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer)

Abstract

The phenological events occurring in various types of insulation during infestation by Alphitobius diaperinus were studied under laboratory conditions. Late instar larval A. diaperinus initiated tunneling behavior into polystyrene insulation. Adult female beetles utilized the surface of the polystyrene panels as oviposition sites, but early instar larvae left the panels soon after hatching. Within 20 days after placing the panels into laboratory colonies, large numbers of adults moved from the media into the polystyrene expanding the tunnels. Concurrently, the number of late instar larvae recovered from the insulation declined. No oviposition occurred within the tunnels. Few middle instar larvae were present in the polystyrene. All lifestages of A. diaperinus invaded exposed fiberglass, but invading late instar larvae did not pupate successfully. Polystyrene seemed to be preferred by late instar larvae over polyurethane for pupation sites, but polyurethane was favored over polystyrene by ovipositing beetles. The insulative capacity of polystyrene was reduced as a result of lesser mealworm infestation.