Grain Weevils

[SilliamWhale]

Taken eye off ball in grain store and found area with a lot of tiny bugs. There grain has all been dried sub 15% but there is warmth there again now. Been so humid fans haven't done a lot for a bit

So Weevils? Ive been told pretty much my only option (unless I could get merchant to take and use straight away - which I can't and I don't want to give them problems) is to get a firm in to sheet and gas a 450 ton pile and leave for two weeks for about £4.50 ton

Question for those who have experience - my grain is dry but warm, I presume weevil activity is keeping it warm - if its treated will it cool it again or will it need even more cooling?

Will running all the grain through the mobile dryer again achieve much?

 

[Lincsman]

Cool it then get it gassed, seen it done on a really bad infestation and works surprisingly well.

 

[czechmate]

Taken eye off ball in grain store and found area with a lot of tiny bugs. There grain has all been dried sub 15% but there is warmth there again now. Been so humid fans haven't done a lot for a bit

So Weevils? Ive been told pretty much my only option (unless I could get merchant to take and use straight away - which I can't and I don't want to give them problems) is to get a firm in to sheet and gas a 450 ton pile and leave for two weeks for about £4.50 ton

Question for those who have experience - my grain is dry but warm, I presume weevil activity is keeping it warm - if its treated will it cool it again or will it need even more cooling?

Will running all the grain through the mobile dryer again achieve much?

There is a quite interesting thread running just now in cropping.
Good luck . Darn things are a big problem here, it’s not just grain moisture but temperature and it’s hard to get the heat away quickly here (can be 10 weeks or more after harvest before you see a night temp below 20c)

 

[David.]

Isn't there a fairly long withdrawal on treated grain, like 90 days or something?

 

[Fish]

Just stick it through the dryer, most of the insects will be killed and cleaned out.
We had a problem a few years ago, just ran the grain over the cleaner and trough the conveyers, 200 ton a day, problem solved.

 

[Surgery]

Isn't there a fairly long withdrawal on treated grain, like 90 days or something?

No

 

[Kam]

 

[David.]

Oh, Ok, misinformed then, perhaps I'm thinking about when was treated with likes of Reldan or Actellic liquid.
Mobile drier will sort most problems; dont take my word for it, but they say a trip through a sucker-blower sorts them out too.

 

[Brisel]

Diatomaceous earth. No withdrawal period. No chemical used. It's a very fine abrasive but inert powder. insect activity causes abrasion of the cuticle and they literally dry themselves out. You'll still need to cool the bulk down ASAP to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

Look up Sillico Sec here http://www.interfarm.co.uk/ProductGuide/UK/Default.aspx

 

[czechmate]

Diatomaceous earth. No withdrawal period. No chemical used. It's a very fine abrasive but inert powder. insect activity causes abrasion of the cuticle and they literally dry themselves out. You'll still need to cool the bulk down ASAP to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

Look up Sillico Sec here http://www.interfarm.co.uk/ProductGuide/UK/Default.aspx

Is that DE? Or something similar that works in the same way?

 

[SilliamWhale]

If I shoved everything through my mobile dryer and gave it a spin for 1/2 hr do you think that would be enough to shake the things away or is it best just to fumigate? (One will cost me £300 and my time the other couple grand)

 

[MrNoo]

Just stick it through the dryer, most of the insects will be killed and cleaned out.
We had a problem a few years ago, just ran the grain over the cleaner and trough the conveyers, 200 ton a day, problem solved.

We did this on numerous occasions since the end of Actellic dust, put the lot over a shaker/cleaner at a steady rate and the buggers drop out. Never had a load rejected after that. Cheaper but a bit of a ball ache.
A friend had his gassed and then had loads rejected for dead bugs, mostly saw tooth

 

[fudge]

If I shoved everything through my mobile dryer and gave it a spin for 1/2 hr do you think that would be enough to shake the things away or is it best just to fumigate? (One will cost me £300 and my time the other couple grand)

As others have implied I would fumigate it unless you are certain you can cool the grain after putting it through the drier. Nothing to say the bugs won’t come back if it is not cool.

 

[Steevo]

I'd gas it every time no question.

Simple, reasonably cheap and effective. Takes too much time running it through the dryer to do a good job on large bulks, plus need to find another shed to tip etc.

Also gives me confidence the job is done right no messing.

That said, £4.50/t sounds on the higher side of cost to me.

 

[yellow belly]

sample the grain intensively as they will be in the warmest part but may only be in a small proportion of the heap I use a spear on drainage rods as that way I can sample specific points of the heap
so if you cool that part they will move to warmest remainder
the mobile dryer will sort them fan on no heat will cool the grain to ambiet air temperature
cool the grain down to 5 degrees will stop them breeding till you can move it some cold night coming up
if it is warm blowing all night at low temps will not add moisture as a each 1 degree increase in the cold air reduces the rh by 5 points
grain at 20 degrees with 5 degree air through it will remove some moisture

i

 

[Brisel]

Is that DE? Or something similar that works in the same way?

I've heard it described as DE, yes.

 

[Fish]

Forget the gas, just run it over the dryer/cleaner

 

[Northdowns Martin]

Weather going to be on your side, there’s a few cold nights this week! Get those fans running. ?

 

[Farmer Roy]

Oh, Ok, misinformed then, perhaps I'm thinking about when was treated with likes of Reldan or Actellic liquid.
Mobile drier will sort most problems; dont take my word for it, but they say a trip through a sucker-blower sorts them out too.

haha - it does take a lot out, but when you deliver it they will still find some

 

[Farmer Roy]

we could be harvesting grain at 40 C & our nightime temps not get below 20 . . .

that's why most grains here need to be below 12.5% moisture for storage, weevils can be a hell of an issue with damp grain
which is also why sealed grain silos are far more popular than sheds with new builds . . .
can readily fumigate them with CO2 then