Agricultural products are not only threatened by insects, mites, diseases, and rodents during cultivation and harvesting, but a large part of agricultural production and the food derived from it is destroyed or lost due to the same factors during post-harvest stages (transportation, storage, processing, packaging).

The spaces where the processing, industrialization, and packaging of agricultural and livestock products and food take place often face thorny problems with insects, mites, fungi, and rodents.

These problems mainly involve the quantitative and qualitative degradation of products by the enemies themselves, as well as the development of secondary infections and infestations, creating a vicious cycle that originates from the poor condition of storage spaces in terms of construction and organization, as well as the failure to adhere to cleanliness and inspection rules for these spaces and the combat against the aforementioned enemies.

In the following text, an attempt will be made to convey basic knowledge regarding the identification, biology, habits, and management of the main insect enemies of stored agricultural products and food during post-harvest stages, as well as the measures that need to be taken in order for storage spaces to meet hygiene requirements for proper storage and processing of these products.

K. Th. Bouhelos