Mimeograph Series. Noo. 20 
August 1945
AGR ICU 'LTU-RAL EXPeRMENT STATIO N,
of The Alabama Polytechnic institute, Auburn, Ala.
9 0 0 * M. J. Funchess,iecr
M1E',TH0D OF STORNG CUIMD 'P&I(I TO PPEVENT
1USTATI0N BY SKIMPPRS
Wo E. S MELLs, Aimal Husbandman
The principal post aittacking cureld pork is a white grub about on
fourth of an inch long, commonly known as the skiper, Thenm comes from
the characteristics of its movement; it curls its ends together and then
straightens rapidly to throw itself or Iskciplt a distance of several inches.
Thelgrubv is tharval stage of the "skipper" fly, which is about
half as long as the common hoube fly. The female fly lays her eggs in
clusters on the softer portions of the meat, particularly at the butts of
hams and shoulders.. The eggs hatch in about 24 hours and the grubs burrow
as a massginto the meat, producing spoiled and unsightly areas.. The grubs
attain full size in about 5 days, and they leave 'the rad ' o ha~nge to long
red cells called pupae* The pupae break and the young flies emerge in
abdut 5 days,
The skipper is rimore active in warm weather, and is especially de-
structive in the South wbere farmers lose considerable meat from 
its infes-
tations every year. At Auburn imost of the infestations occur between April
and November. However, it is well to guard-against this pest'during most
of the year,. especially in southern Al&bama where the winters are mild..
The method of control given here was tested in a closed roomi where
skippers iwjere grown in l-arge number and allowied to come in contact with the
conitainers throughout the test period. Pork was hung in each of five barrelE
and one box. Four of the five barrels and the box were covered according
to the method discribed below an.td the fifth barrel was left open. The box
was in the room '2 moniths- and the barrels 5 monthso* Skipper flies were0
observeod crawiling over..the covex'ings of the cont'iiners throughout the test
period, but.when the containers wiere removed P'rom the room and opened, none
The essential features of the method ,vre shown in the 
diagraMs.
Where a barrel is used the
procedure is as follows.
SDouble cloth 
cover 1. Select 
as cool a place as 
possi-
ble for storage
S loth under.
1 top hoop 2. Wash out the 
barrel with hot
r speces ewater and soap and remove the top
...hoop.
3. Cut two boards 2 or 3 inches
wide and long enough to lay across
the top of the barrel and extend
over about one-fourth of an inch.
Place.the boards to cross in the
middle and tack them to the edge
of the barrel,
-/ \ \ / , \n
. / 4..Hang the meat from the cross-
Spieces with strings of varying
Slengths to use all the available
*space in the barrel.
5.Drive out any flies and insects
Cross section of barrel illustrating 
method that may have entered 
the barrel
of hanging meat after 
it was washed, and cover it
with a clean salt sack or double
layer of unbleached domestic cloth.
6,. Work the hoop on around the ends of the crosspieces and 
drive it down tight
over the cloth making sure the cloth is under, the hoop all around,
( I,_ Double cloth, cover
f. . Slat over
S' . cloth
jcrosspieces
lowed, except that special care 
.
must be taken to stop all holes 
" -
or cracsand slats are nailed / 
/lats for
over the cloth at the sides 
and 
cracks
ends to take the place of the 
: '' .- 
'.
hoWp used on the barrel.
Cross section of box illustrating method 
of
hanging meat