Insects can take huge chunks from profits on stored grain, and more producers should check for them, says the Canadian Grain Commission’s entymologist.
“Insects are a nuisance but pay attention to it because the bottom line is that there is going to be another cost to you. You should find out what those costs are before you open the tailgate,” said Blaine Timlick.
The biggest nemesis is the rusty grain beetle because it is cold tolerant and reproduces rapidly. Plenty of the critters, found mainly in wheat but also in barley, will be alive and well this spring because of the mild fall and winter.
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Not cold enough
“Cold weather kills them but the world’s greatest fridge hasn’t worked that well over the last couple of years in that we’ve had a couple mild winters,” said Timlick.
During winter the beetles find warm spots in bins where they remain largely immobile until the grain warms in spring. When grain temperature hits about 18 C they start to reproduce.
It’s illegal for elevators to accept insect-infested grain and producers may face high costs if they try to deliver such grain, said Timlick. Penalty tariffs range from two to 27 cents per bushel or $2 to $10 a tonne.
“I get calls regularly from producers who are given bills from primary elevator operators for treating grain they’ve delivered, and they’re not happy,” Timlick said, adding the beetle can also wreak havoc in malting barley.
In the past two years, the commission found six percent of grain delivered to primary elevators had some insect infestation. Normally it’s at 1.5 or two percent.
At one point before Christmas the commission flagged 10 percent of primary elevators in the western Prairies for shipping infested grain. Normally that figure is four to five percent.
Aside from mild weather, the trend toward larger grain bins that keep grain warmer is favorable to rusty grain beetles, said Chris Van Natto, technical manager for Hedley Technologies.
Prepare to take action
Producers should take grain samples to determine infestation because once grain warms up more eggs will hatch, said Van Natto. Grain samples can be taken to regional commission offices or to elevators. Fumigation isn’t effective until the grain temperature rises, so the best plan now is to aerate bins and eliminate hot spots, he said.
As spring approaches, producers worry more about seeding and equipment repairs than grain in the bin, sometimes at their peril.
“It’s a headache for these guys. Bugs are a nuisance but it really gets to be very important.”
Ideally producers begin insect control as soon as the grain goes in the bin by cooling grain as soon as possible, cleaning storage bins, monitoring regularly or applying insect control products when necessary, said Timlick.
