Sanitation, it's impact on pest insect movement and distribution behavior and on pest management in food processing facilities
Abstract
Food processing facilities are unique environments with varying temporal and spatial distributions of food resources. Stored product insects can quickly monopolize available resources and disperse readily to find new ones. Proper sanitation and removal of these food sources is an integral part of controlling infestations, but the application of sanitation in the food processing industry can be inconsistent. Stronger evidence is needed if facility operators are to incorporate sanitation as a central facet of pest control. This research addressed two fundamental questions. The first focused on the impact that different levels of sanitation, using food abundance as a proxy, have on the movement and distribution patterns of a model insect. Optimal Foraging Theory was used as a framework for interpreting these behaviors, focusing on the impact food abundance had on insect dispersal along a narrow corridor and on population distribution behavior at different temporal and spatial scales. The second question focused on the application of sanitation practices in food processing facilities, tying sanitation level with pest management effectiveness and cost. Optimal Foraging Theory provided a useful framework for interpreting behaviors with increasing food abundance negatively affecting overall dispersal and how widely pest populations distribute themselves. Spatial scale and beetle age also proved to be significant, influencing factors. The relationship between sanitation and pest management in food processing facilities was more complex than expected and may require better employee knowledge to apply properly. A stronger argument can now be made for how significantly sanitation practices impact pest control in food processing facilities, requiring higher levels of sanitation in order to ensure effectiveness of pest management programs.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Mason, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Entomology
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