Abstract

In September and October 1948 two shipments of semolina (840 tons) were received from Australia and taken to the Provincial Reserve Storage at Madras. A further quantity of 550 tons was added to this stock in January 1949. The off-take of this commodity was very low at this period and the stocks had to remain in storage for a long time. The semolina was free from insects at the time of receipt but in the godowns it became infested within six weeks. The examination of the stocks in November showed the presence of flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) ranging from 9 to 96 per pound sample in the various stocks. Stray Rhizopertha dominica beetles were record- ed from 3 out of the 20 stacks examined. The insect population increased in January 1949 when the Rhizopertha beetles became more widespread. A further increase of both the insects was recorded in February and it was evident that the infestation would become more marked in subsequent months.

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