ABSTRACT
The essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from two aromatic plants from the Algerian West, Cymbopogon schoenanthus [Poaceae] and Artemisia herba-alba [Lamiaceae], were tested with various amounts on the adults of Acanthoscelides obtectus and Tineola bisselliella, at a temperature of 26 [degree sign]C and a relative humidity of 75%. These oils present an insecticidal activity and induce in the females of the two studied insects a very significant reduction of the laying compared with that in the control. The essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon schoenanthus is most toxic with LD[50] = 1,16 micro L/30g of seeds for A. obtectus, and LD[50] = 1,09 micro L for T. bisselliella, Artemisia herba-alba has a little variable toxicity with LD[50] = 1,69 micro L/30g of seeds for A. obtectus and LD[50] = 1, 25 micro L for T. bisselliella. The analysis of the chemical composition shows the richness of two essential oils in compounds known for their insecticidal properties like the alpha-pinene and Camphene, which explains the results obtained