As crops are coming off the field and into the bin, it's important to make sure unwanted pests aren't going in with them.

Provincial entomologist John Gavloski says the most common insects found in stored grain are rusty grain beetle, which feeds directly on the grain, and foreign grain beetle, which feeds on mold. Both are small, light brown bugs.

Gavloski says these pests can often enter grain bins through the movement of grain that has been sitting in the bin or the farm equipment.

"We always advise farmers to clean out the bins thoroughly," he says, "make sure you get out any spilled grain. If you suspect that there have been beetles built up in grain left in the bin, clean things out very thoroughly. If needed, you can treat the bin with an insecticide."

Once the grain is in the bin, Gavloski says it's important to watch the temperature.

"Warm grain is going to be more at risk for insects than cooler grain," he says, "so getting the core temperature down to about 15 degrees Celsius or lower as quickly as you can will help reduce your odds of getting stored grain insects."

Gavloski says producers should also clean old grain out from combines, augers, and grain bins to prevent movement of pests.