Diversity of Diptera Species in Estonian Pig Farms.

Lea Tummeleht,Heli Kirik,Margret Jürison,Olavi Kurina,Julia Jeremejeva,Arvo Viltrop

doi:10.3390/vetsci7010013

Abstract

In light of the African swine fever outbreaks in Estonian pig farms during the past few years, the question of the vector potential of Diptera in the pig farm environment has risen. However, the arthropod fauna of the pig farm environment is currently not well established. Hence, the aim of this study was to clarify the species diversity in pig farms. In total, 22 Diptera species or species groups were found in Estonian pig farms. There were altogether 186,701 individual arthropods collected, from which 96.6% (180,444) belonged to the order of true flies (Insecta: Diptera). The remaining 3.4% were from other insect orders, arachnids, or just damaged and unidentifiable specimens. The activity density and diversity of dipterans differed significantly between 12 sampled farms but not throughout the sampling period. The present study is amongst the few to provide a large-scale overview of pig-farm-associated Diptera in the temperate climate zone.

Highlights

Intensive animal farming, along with its dense population of warm-blooded hosts, a rich source of organic waste and conductive indoor climate, provides an attractive environment for synanthropic insects
True flies (Insecta:Diptera) cannot be ignored in the farm environment due to their potential to cause irritation and damage to production animals’ skin, to be a physical nuisance, and to act as vectors for the West Nile virus [5] and a long list of bacterial and fungal pathogens
Flying Diptera can freely move between production units as well as migrate between natural habitats and the farm interior in cases of open ventilation

Summary

Introduction

Along with its dense population of warm-blooded hosts, a rich source of organic waste and conductive indoor climate, provides an attractive environment for synanthropic insects. Studies that could provide information about the diversity of animal-farming-related insect fauna are lacking. True flies (Insecta:Diptera) cannot be ignored in the farm environment due to their potential to cause irritation and damage to production animals’ skin (biting hematophagous species, with the toxicity of their saliva), to be a physical nuisance (nonbiting species feeding on bodily secretes of animals), and to act as vectors (mostly mechanical) for the West Nile virus [5] and a long list of bacterial and fungal pathogens (reviewed in [6,7,8,9,10]). True flies move interchangeably between animal waste, feedstuff, and the animals themselves and have been shown to transmit pathogenic microbes via mouthparts and legs, vomit, faeces, and their digestive system (reviewed in [11])

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