Abstract
Sterile screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (strain V-81), released at the mean rate of 868 flies per km2 per week for 3 weeks, imparted only 5% sterility to the native population within 3 km of the center of the release area. No sterile egg masses were collected from artificially wounded sheep at either of two pens located outside the release area (10 km from the nearest ground-release station). Releases at a mean rate of 3,363 flies per km2 per week imparted a mean sterility of 46% at sampling locations at the center of the release area. Although some sterility was detected at one pen outside the release area (5 of 86 masses), differences in proportions of sterility between inside and outside pens were highly significant. Assuming that recaptured flies were representative of the uncaptured and native screwworms and that immigrating fertile females did not contribute substantially to fertility rates within the release site, the distribution of sterile and fertile egg masses and data from trap-back studies supported the hypothesis of limited dispersal of screwworms on the humid tropical coastal plain of southern Mexico during the wet season. I conclude that one can (1) evaluate candidate strains of sterile screwworms and (2) study the bionomics and interactions of native and sterile populations in an efficient and simple manner using the method of ground release of sterile flies.
Published Version
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