There’s plenty of kit – from insect traps to fumigators – that help in the effective management of grain store pests.

We’ve picked out a few essentials.

These reusable Pitfall Cone (above) and PC Floor traps (below) were designed by a government science agency to monitor crawling pests in stores and stored crops.

Insects are attracted by lures and should be easier to identify than when held in sticky traps.

The Pitfall Cone trap now comes with an “easy-twist” bayonet fitting to attach the perforated cap to the see-through cone, which is lined with a slippery PTFE coating to prevent insects crawling out.

The coating will need refreshing after two years’ use.

The traps should be deployed in pairs in a grid 5-6m apart on the surface and 8-15cms below the surface.

PC Floor traps are used for monitoring insect activity in empty stores.

Prices: Pitfall Cone trap (10) £44; PC Floor trap (10) £49.50; PTFE solution £12.50 – all from Agricultural Supply Services

See also: Cereals 2015: 6 must-see farm machinery highlights

Bayer K-Obiol

Ridding grain stores of overwintered insects is essential before the new crop starts to come in.

K-Obiol EC25 (deltamethrin and piperonyl butoxide) from Bayer CropScience is a liquid pyrethroid formulation that controls various insects known to infest stored grain and pulses.

It should wipe out troublemakers including grain weevils, flour beetles, grain borers, saw-toothed grain beetles and moths.

Bayer’s concoction will provide up to two months’ protection once it has been applied to the fabric of the building.

If you spray it over grain it will provide a shield that will last up to 12 months against crawling insects and two months against those with wings.

There is no withholding period between applying the insecticide and using the grain for consumption.

Price: £65 for a 1-litre pack from Agri-Shop.

Spaldings Phobi Smoke Pro 90

The Phobi Smoke Pro 90 smoke generator is designed for use in empty grain stores together with a structural insecticide spray for the control of rust-red flour beetle, saw-toothed grain beetle, grain weevil, flour moth and grain mite in cereal grains. It contains 22.5% w/w pirimiphos-methyl.

You will need one smoke generator for every 570cu m of treated space and no more than two treatments may be used for each storage area intended for cereals grains.

Price: £336 for packs of 12 canisters from Spaldings.

Nickerson Direct Grain-Tect applicator

The Digital Dosing Applicator from Nickerson Direct is designed to apply Grain-Tect ULV, a pyrethroid formulation of deltamethrin mixed with piperonly butoxide for the control of insects that infest grain and pulses.

The farm-friendly version of the applicator should cope with grain conveying systems shifting anything from 5-60t/hr.

It uses a drive system and micro-processor control claimed to ensure minimum liquid pulsation, even at low input levels.

Features include a bunded chemical container holding tray, drip-proof dip tube, air regulator and gauge, 7m of bonded hose, a retractable air atomising nozzle and a calibration cylinder.

Prices: Grain-Tect applicator £1100, Grain-Tect ULV 20-litre £400 (83p/t) from Nickerson Direct.