Fahmy, I.

2018-09-13T15:52:46Z

2018-09-13T15:52:46Z

1931

The material on which the following notes and descriptions are made was originally supplied by Dr. R. S. MacDougall in June 1929. The origin of the material is unknown. The insects were in ground nut cake (Arachis hypogea) and had been lying in Edinburgh for three or four years.

This material supplied my stock during all the experiments and no difficulty was experienced in getting any of the stages of development at any time of the year.

For the purpose of. making observations the insects were placed in circular glass topped tin boxes (3 -4" dian. x 1" deep) . These were more satisfactory than cardboard boxes of the same description as the insects can bite holes through cardboard.

The Ptinids are principally stored.produce pests having world -wide distribution through being transported in articles of commerce.

Niptus holóleucus and Ptinus fur are well known cosmopolitan insects and are very destructive pests, doing a great deal of damage to stored products and textiles.

In common with other members of the family, the species under consideration is a stored product pest capable of doing considerable damage both in the adul and larval stages due to the fact that it can adapt itself to a wide variety of food material of animal as well as of vegetable origin.

Being a comparatively recent introduction to Europe, its economic importance has.notyet been full ascertained, although it, is reported from various quarters doing considerable damage.

So far no work on the life- history and habits of Ptinus tectus, either. in Britain or elsewhere, has been published. Several isolated records and observations are to be found in the literature, however.

As a thorough knowledge of the biology and life - history of a pest is essential for_its successful con trol, it is to be hoped that the following investigation on the structure and biology of Ptinus tectus will contribute to this end.

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/32137

The University of Edinburgh

Annexe Thesis Digitisation Project 2018 Block 20

On the structure and bionomics of Ptinus tectus (Boield.) : with experiments on its respiration and vitality

Thesis or Dissertation

Doctoral

PhD Doctor of Philosophy