Red Flour Beetle Pilot

Fisher lab received 12 jars containing red flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum). These jars have been incubating at room temperature for an unknown length of time in a box protected from the light. About a fifth of the jar is flour (white in the pictures below) and the tan upper layer is actually husks from the red flour beetles.

The goal of this pilot project is to determine the effect of P. larvae on these red flour beetles, if any. This will be done by creating "flour patties" spiked with P. larvae and then placing beetles on top to feed. Survival will be monitored for a period of time.

Currently, I wish to determine if there is variation in survival depending on the type of flour that is used as a diet for the beetle. Below is an image of the two types of flour that I will be testing and below the two bags of flow is a condiment cup that will also be used.

Treatment

1 - 7.0 g Gold Medal flour (Wheat Flour)

2 - 7.0 g MASECA flour (Corn Flour)

3 - 3.5 g Gold Medal flour + 3.5 g MASECA flour

The flour was added to a condiment cup and exactly 10 red flour beetles were added to each cup (picture below). The cover was attached to each cup and each treatment cup was placed inside a box protected from light and incubating at room temperature.

I will periodically monitor the health and survival of the beetles.

//EWW