Dannosità di Nemapogon granellus (L.) (Lepidoptera Tineidae) in salumifici e caseifici ed esperienze di monitoraggio con feromoni

NEMAPOGON GRANELLUS (L.) (LEPIDOPTERA TINEIDAE) DAMAGE TO SEASONING ANIMAL PRODUCTS AND MONITORING EXPERIENCES WITH PHEROMONES In the last decade we have had several reports of infestation by the tineid Nemapogon granellus (Linné), also known as False grain moth, in factories in northern Italy where stored products were seasoning. This species is reported mainly due to damage to vegetal foodstuffs (grains, dried fruit, dried mushrooms, etc.). The infestation by N. granellus of seasoning animal products (meats, sausages and cheeses) is less well-known but more serious. We conducted surveys in the Emilia Romagna and Lombardy regions, in some factories where the seasoning of fine Italian cheeses and seasoned meats, such as Grana Padano, Provolone, Culatello di Zibello, Coppa Piacentina, Salame Piacentino and Pancetta Piacentina, is carried out. Direct damage is caused by the larvae, mainly due to their trophic activity. Larvae develop first on the product surface but often penetrate the meat (or the cheese) to a depth of a few centimeters, causing severe damage to the products. Monitoring was carried out using "diamond" sticky traps baited with the specific sex pheromone for N. granellus, which is effective towards adult males. Due to the considerable economic damage caused by even modest attacks, prevention and monitoring play a fundamental role; therefore the use of traps baited with N. granellus pheromone seems a valid method to include among strategies for integrated production in these types of industries.