An Attempt to eradicate Glossina palpalis (R.-D.) and G. tachinoides Westw. from Riverine Vegetation in Benue Province, Northern Nigeria, by Spraying with DDT

Abstract

During 1955 and 1956 two attempts were made to eradicate Glossina, palpalis (R.-D.) and G. tachinoides Westw. from 8¼ miles of heavily forested perennial river in Benue Province of the Northern Kegion of Nigeria by using DDT.Descriptions of the rivers and the means employed in applying the DDT using knapsack sprayers are given, together with the effect of the insecticide on the fly population.It was found that it was possible to eliminate G. palpalis from this type of habitat, where the forest is largely restricted to the immediate vicinity of the rivers, but that isolation must be carefully undertaken to prevent reinvasion, which would appear to be more extensive than had been expected. G. palpalis was completely absent for 18 weeks.G. tachinoides, which was present in much smaller numbers, also disappeared on the treated river, but because of a similar disappearance on the control river it is not possible to attribute this to the insecticidal treatment.The cost of spraying was about half the cost of clearing by normal current methods.