CLB Repel: a safe, organic semiochemical repellent for the chicken litter beetle, Alphitobius diaperinus

The goal of this USDA NIFA SBIR Phase I project is to develop CLB Repel, a safe, organic, and highly effective repellent product for the management of chicken litter beetle (CLB), Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer, that operates by a completely different mode of action than any other control strategy currently on the market. CLB Repel is formulated with the potent beetle anti-aggregation semiochemical to provide long-term protection of poultry industries throughout the US. This product could be used on any poultry farm. On organic farms, where the use of conventional insecticides is precluded, CLB will provide a novel and effective control strategy that does not rely on chemical toxicants; while in conventional egg and chicken production facilities, CLB Repel could be applied in combination with conventional control tactics (i.e., after litter cleanout to prevent or minimize re-infestation by CLB; or as part of a push-pull strategy, to aggregate CLB into a confined, specific area for insecticide treatment, rather than spraying the entire poultry house with hazardous chemicals).