THE RUSTY GRAIN BEETLE: A PEST OF STORED GRAIN

The rusty grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus) is the most common and serious pest of stored grain on farms and in elevators across the Canadian prairies. It makes up about 95 % of all grain insects detected by the Canadian Grain Commission in grain elevators across the country. Its very small size (1.5–2.5 mm long) allows it to easily crawl between grain kernels and quickly spread throughout stored grain. Its high fertility (up to 423 eggs per female) and fast development (about one generation per month) can result in serious losses if the grain is kept above 20 °C, or if it is kept too moist for too long, or if there is a hot spot or spoiled grain somewhere in the grain bin because this species thrives in spoiled grain. Additionally, the Canadian Grain Act prohibits the receipt and marketing of infested grain (i.e., grain containing any injurious, noxious or troublesome insect or animal pests). Elevators cannot accept grain if they detect this insect in it.

Rusty Grain Beetle on a kernel of wheat. Photo : Vincent Hervet, AAFC

The rusty grain beetle’s most favoured foods are: wheat, rye, corn, barley, and millet. It can also develop on a wide range of fungus species and moldy substrates. Interestingly, this beetle cannot penetrate undamaged seeds, so it requires a seed to be either spoiled, broken or cracked (a microscopic crack will suffice) in order to feed on it. Physical damage to grain is typically caused by harvesting and handling. The rusty grain beetle cannot develop below 20 °C so grain stored in dry conditions and maintained below 20 °C will be safe from infestation from this species. Keeping grain below 18 °C will ensure that it is safe from other insect species as well.

Effective ways to eliminate or reduce the risk of infestations include:
• Thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing bins between uses;
• Cleaning up grain residue from the surroundings to prevent the multiplication of grain insects near grain storage areas (spillages on the ground, residues left in combines or augers, etc.);
• Ensuring bins are sealed tight to prevent moisture or snow from entering;
• Reducing the temperature and moisture content of stored grain to safe levels as soon as possible after harvest (using these helpful Safe Storage Charts).
• Also access the Canadian Grain Commission’s information on Grain Quality.

To learn more about current storage practices, storage issues, and to understand the main insect issues in stored grains across the Canadian prairies, Dr. Vincent Hervet with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (vincent.hervet@agr.gc.ca) is currently surveying insects in farm grain bins across the Prairie Provinces of Canada. Volunteer growers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are needed to participate in this survey so we can better understand issues in farm-stored grain and how to address them.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If you wish to participate in this survey, or if you wish to have more details about the survey, please contact Dr. Vincent Hervet (vincent.hervet@agr.gc.ca; 204-915-6918).

THE FOREIGN GRAIN BEETLE

The foreign grain beetle (Ahasverus advena) is one of the most commonly encountered insect species in farm-stored grain in Canada. Because it often is found in stored grain, it was thought to be a grain pest, but research has shown that the foreign grain beetle is instead chiefly a mould feeder. Its presence in stored grain tells much about the state of the grain.

Because it feeds on mould, the presence of foreign grain beetles in a grain bin is a telltale sign that grain is likely going out of condition somewhere in the bin. For example, if the grain hasn’t been appropriately aerated it could be that a hot spot is forming in the centre or top of the pile, or, if snow has blown into the bin, the mouldy grain may be restricted to the top of the pile. In many instances, when we encounter foreign grain beetles we cannot readily see mouldy grain, but measuring the grain temperature and moisture content at the very centre of the top of the pile (top of the cone) should show that the condition of the grain is beyond that recommended for safe storage (see link below text) and that grain quality has likely started to deteriorate.

Foreign Grain Beetle on a kernel of wheat. Photo: Vincent Hervet, AAFC

To learn more about current storage practices, storage issues, and to understand the main insect issues in stored grains across the Canadian prairies, Dr. Vincent Hervet with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (vincent.hervet@agr.gc.ca) is currently surveying insects in farm grain bins across the Prairie Provinces of Canada. Preliminary results collected over the last two years in Manitoba, predominantly from stored wheat, showed grain insects were present in most bins. To our surprise, most of the insects collected were chiefly mould feeders (61 % of all insects collected in 2020 were mould feeders and 99 % of all insects collected in 2021 were mould feeders), and these mould feeders were present in 72 % of the bins sampled. The most commonly collected insect species was by far the foreign grain beetle.

Different reasons can explain these results, such as precipitations during harvest or weather conditions that did not allow for quick drying and cooling of the grain after harvest, but there may also be a lack of awareness of best storage management techniques. Therefore, we need to continue this research over the next few years to obtain meaningful data. To this end, volunteer growers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are sought to participate in this survey so we can better understand issues in farm-stored grain and how to address them.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: If you wish to participate in this survey, or if you wish to have more details about the survey, please contact Dr. Vincent Hervet (vincent.hervet@agr.gc.ca; 204-915-6918).

Access these valuable resources provided by the Canadian Grain Commission:
• Review or bookmark these Safe Storage Charts.
• Find more information on the Management of Stored Grain.

Preparing and protecting grains for market

A few helpful tools to keep at your finger tips:

A number of important resources are available at Keep It Clean to help prepare and protect grains for market.  Learn more about preparing canola, cereals and pulses! They also have tools to manage pre-harvest intervals including a spray to swath calculator and describe the importance of avoiding malathion in bins storing canola.

Download searchable PDFs of 2020 Crop Production Guides for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

The Canadian Grain Commission has information to help you manage stored grain.  Read tips to prepare your bins to prevent insect infestations.  If there are insects in your grain, use their online diagnostic tools to help identify the problem species.  If pest species are confirmed, there are control options – read more to make the right choice for your grain storage system and your specific grain.

Harvest Sample Program

Reminder – The Canadian Grain Commission is ready to grade grain samples harvested in 2020.  Samples are accepted up to November 30 but growers normally send samples as soon as harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  

In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

  • unofficial grade
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybean
  • Falling Number for wheat
  • Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) for wheat and corn.

It can be helpful to have grade and quality information on samples before delivering their grain. Read brochures produced by the Canadian Grain Commission describing the Harvest Sample Program and details specific to the Western version of the program.

Stored product pests

Reminder – The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetleRed flour beetleConfused flour beetleSaw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the Canadian Grain Commission’s “Identify an Insect” webpage is included below for reference.

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Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready to grade grain samples harvested in 2020.  Samples are accepted up to November 30 but growers normally send samples as soon as harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  

In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

  • unofficial grade
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybean
  • Falling Number for wheat
  • Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) for wheat and corn.

It can be helpful to have grade and quality information on samples before delivering their grain. Read brochures produced by the Canadian Grain Commission describing the Harvest Sample Program and details specific to the Western version of the program.

Stored product pests

The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetleRed flour beetleConfused flour beetleSaw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the Canadian Grain Commission’s “Identify an Insect” webpage is included below for reference.

Harvest Sample Program

Remember
The Canadian Grain Commission is ready to grade grain samples harvested in 2019.  Register online to receive a harvest sample kit (by October 15, 2019).  Samples are accepted until the end of November but send as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website.   In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

     • Unofficial grade *
     • Dockage assessment on canola
     • Protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
     • Oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
     • Oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
     • Oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
     • Falling number for wheat
     • Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) levels for wheat and corn
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.  Sign up for a harvest sample kit before October 15, 2019.

Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready to grade grain samples harvested in 2019.  Register online to receive a harvest sample kit (by October 15, 2019).  Samples are accepted until the end of November but send as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website.

In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

  • Unofficial grade*
  • Dockage assessment on canola
  • Protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • Oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • Oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • Oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
  • Falling number for wheat
  • Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol or DON) levels for wheat and corn

Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.  Sign up for a harvest sample kit before October 15, 2019.

Preparing and protecting grains for market

REMINDER – A few helpful tools to keep at your finger tips:

Since May we have posted our prairie provinces’ searchable PDFs of Crop Production Guides.

Keeping It Clean has information to help prepare and protect your grains for market.  Check out their site to find important information.  Learn more about avoiding malathion in bins storing canola, access their spray to swath calculator, and access a pre-harvest glyphosate staging guide

The Canadian Grain Commission has information to help you manage stored grain.  Read tips to prepare your bins to prevent insect infestations.  If there are insects in your grain, use their online diagnostic tools to help identify the problem species.  If pest species are confirmed, there are control options – read more to make the right choice for your grain storage system and your specific grain.

Interested in signing up for Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program?

Preparing and protecting grains for market

A few helpful tools to keep at your finger tips:

Since May we have posted our prairie provinces’ searchable PDFs of Crop Production Guides.

Keeping It Clean has information to help prepare and protect your grains for market.  Check out their site to find important information.  Learn more about avoiding malathion in bins storing canola, access their spray to swath calculator, and access a pre-harvest glyphosate staging guide

The Canadian Grain Commission has information to help you manage stored grain.  Read tips to prepare your bins to prevent insect infestations.  If there are insects in your grain, use their online diagnostic tools to help identify the problem species.  If pest species are confirmed, there are control options – read more to make the right choice for your grain storage system and your specific grain.

Interested in signing up for Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program?

Stored Product Pests

The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetleRed flour beetleConfused flour beetleSaw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the webpage is included below for reference.

Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready to grade grain samples harvested in 2018.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  

In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybean
  • NEW for 2018-19: Participants will receive Falling Number and deoxynivalenol (DON) results for their wheat samples at no cost. This enhancement to the Harvest Sample Program is the first initiative to be funded by the Canadian Grain Commission’s accumulated surplus.

Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2018.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  

In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:

  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybean
  • NEW for 2018-19: Participants will receive Falling Number and deoxynivalenol (DON) results for their wheat samples at no cost. This enhancement to the Harvest Sample Program is the first initiative to be funded by the Canadian Grain Commission’s accumulated surplus.

Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

Stored Product Pests

The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetleRed flour beetleConfused flour beetleSaw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the webpage is included below for reference.

Weekly Update – Stored Product Pests

The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetleRed flour beetleConfused flour beetleSaw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the webpage is included below for reference.

Weekly Update – Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2017.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  


In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

2016 Harvest in western Canada

The Canadian Grain Commission holds and generates a wealth of information related to harvest in Canada AND they have one of the best Stored Product Pest online resources which includes a photographic identification key plus grain management tips.  


It doesn’t matter if you’re an entomologist, an agrologist, or one of our hard-working growers – we all pay attention to harvest and here’s what the CGC is able to share with us as of October 27, 2016:

Visit the Canadian Grain Commission’s homepage for more!

Weekly Update – Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2016.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  


In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

Stored Product Pests

The Canadian Grain Commission’s website has an online key to stored product pests.  Growers managing grain storage can find an online identification tool for stored product pests (e.g., Rusty grain beetle, Red flour beetle, Confused flour beetle, Saw-toothed grain beetle, and more).  The online tool features excellent diagnostic photos.  A screen shot of the webpage is included below for reference.

Weekly Update – Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2016.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  


In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

Weekly Update – Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2016.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.

This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!

More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  


In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.

Weekly Update – Harvest Sample Program

The Canadian Grain Commission is ready and willing to grade grain samples harvested in 2016.  Samples are accepted up to November but send samples as soon a harvest is complete.


This is a FREE opportunity for growers to gain unofficial insight into the quality of their grain and to obtain valuable dockage information and details associated with damage or quality issues.  The data collected also helps Canada market its grain to the world!


More information on the Harvest Sample Program is available at the Canadian Grain Commission’s website where growers can register online to receive a kit to submit their grain.  


In exchange for your samples, the CGC assesses and provides the following unofficial results FOR FREE:
  • dockage assessment on canola
  • unofficial grade
  • protein content on barley, beans, chick peas, lentils, oats, peas and wheat
  • oil, protein and chlorophyll content for canola
  • oil and protein content and iodine value for flaxseed
  • oil and protein for mustard seed and soybeans
Many producers find having both grade and quality information on their samples before delivering their grain to be helpful.