Comparison of the toxicity of the pesticide imidacloprid and the bioactivity of <i>Artemisia herba-alba</i> alcohol extract against <i>Tribolium castaneum</i>

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is a serious pest of grain products that have been stored. As worries about the toxicity of conventional insecticides like Imidacloprid grow, alternate pest control methods are becoming necessary. The present study aimed to assess the insecticidal effectiveness of an alcoholic ethanol extract of Artemisia herba-alba against T. castaneum. During a 10-day observation period, various concentrations of the extract (4%,8%,12%) were tried. For second-stage larvae, fifth-stage larvae, and adult beetles, both direct and indirect treatments (spraying and mixing the extract with food) were evaluated. This one was compared to Imidacloprid’s insecticidal ability. The findings showed that the alcoholic extract of A. herba-alba had a considerable insecticidal effect; under direct exposure, mortality rates for the second larval instar, fifth larval instar, and adults were 75%, 70%, and 82.8%, respectively. Indirect treatment resulted in even higher mortality rates, reaching 91.8%, 92.4%, and 91.4% for the same developmental stages. In comparison, Imidacloprid produced higher mortality rates of 95.4%, 98.2%, and 98.8% for direct application, and 96.4%, 94.4%, and 96% for indirect application. Even though the efficacy of Imidacloprid is higher, our results suggest that alcoholic extract of A. herba-alba as a natural replacement for T. castaneum populations. Further investigation is necessary to clarify the potential applications and underlying mechanisms of action of this herbal extract in pest management.