The sterols of the khapra beetle,Trogoderma granarium everts

Summary The khapra beetle,Trogoderma granarium Everts, does not dealkylate and convert dietary C₂₈- or C₂₉-phytostorols to C_2Tsterols such as cholesterol. There is, however, an increase in the concentration of cholesterol and campesterol in its tissues relative to the dietary concentrations of these sterols, presumably as a result of selective uptake.We thank Dr S. R. Dutky of the Insect Physiology Laboratory, Agricultural Research, SEA, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland for providing GC-MS analyses.