Three-dimensional distribution and sampling indices of insects and mites in horizontally-stored wheat

Studies were conducted in three flat storerooms in Southern Greece, filled with approx. 45 tons of wheat each, stored in 1.5 m deep bulks, in order to examine the seasonal abundance of insect and mite species, in relation to their horizontal and vertical spatial distribution into the bulked grain. For this purpose, wheat samples were taken from June 2000 until March 2001, at 10-day intervals, by using a partitioned grain trier. The surface of the grain bulk was divided into three sampling zones, the central zone (the central part of the bulk), the edge zone (close to the walls) and the corners (the corners of the store rooms). The trier samples were examined separately for the upper, medial and lower 0.5 m of the bulk. Significant differences were recorded for wheat moisture content among zones (p