Saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, an internationally important stored product pest

The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) is a major external-infesting pest of various stored products worldwide. The last review was performed almost a decade ago, thus we provide an up-to-date review that will summarize relevant literature on the general biology, ecology, distribution and control of O. surinamensis. A synthesis of food hosts found documentation for 31 suitable foods for feeding and reproduction by O. surinamensis, while three were marginally suitable and 18 were unsuitable. In addition, O. surinamensis is found in 104 countries and 47 types of facilities, including in 48%, 54%, 43%, 48%, and 50% of the countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania. Female adults lay up to 300-400 eggs at rate of 6-10 per day, while progeny production increases steadily until the optimum conditions of 30-32.5 degrees C at 30-70% RH. The average adult lifespan of O. surinamensis can reach 19 weeks. Adults have well developed wings but either don't or rarely fly. Further, O. surinamensis has a male-produced aggregation pheromone attractive to both sexes consisting of three macrolides, including (3Z, 6Z)-dodecadien-11-olide, (3Z, 6Z)-dodecadien-12-olide, and (5Z, 8Z)-tetradecadien-13-olide in a 0.4:1:1 ratio. Seventy-six studies have been published on the efficacy of 54 insecticides for O. surinamensis. Only chlorpyrifos-methyl, fenitrothion, malathion and pirimiphos-methyl were included in more than seven studies. A considerable number of studies report increased resistance of this species to numerous insecticides. However, research on the non-chemical control of this species should also be expanded, including the use of extreme temperatures, semiochemical-based management, as well as the application of controlled or modified atmospheres. Models predicting insect population growth can improve pest management decisions.