Response of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) to Food Odor Emanating Through Consumer Packaging Films

The sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), is an important pest of packagedconsumer foods, yet little is knownof its behavioral response to foododors.Adults and larvae are not believed to chew holes through packaging materials, but they may invade packaged food by entering through openings caused by improper sealing or handling, throughholes intentionally placed in packages by the manufacturer, or through openings made by insects or other organisms. To better understand the mechanism of infestation of packaged foods by the sawtoothed grain beetle, we determinedhow foododor coming through the surface and throughholes in consumer foodpackaging materials inßuences female sawtoothed grain beetlemovement.Mated female beetles respondedwith an area-concentrated search to the odor of dog food emitted from 0.5-mm-diameter holes punctured in two commonly used food packaging materials (Cello and 120 AB-X). Holes emitting no food odor did not inßuence beetle behavior. Velocity and distance moved differed between Þlm types, perhaps because of surface characteristics of the Þlm inßuencing traction, but no inßuence of food odors coming through the Þlms was detected. This study indicates the necessity for improved package designs and better sealing and handling methods to prevent ßaws in packaging through which insects may enter.