Caged-layer Poultry House Research Articles

Impact of exposure length and pupal source on Muscidifurax raptorellus and Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) parasitism in a New York poultry facility.

Commercially obtained Nasonia vitripennis Walker and Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan & Legner were released weekly for 12 wk into a high-rise, caged-layer poultry house. After the release period, parasitoids were sampled using sentinel house fly (Musca domestica L.) pupae that were either laboratory-reared or field-collected as larvae and exposed for 2, 4, 7, and 14 d. Parasitoid-induced mortality was observed in 31% of laboratory colony pupae and in 26% of field-collected pupae, whereas successful parasitism rates of 48 and 51% were observed from these pupal sources, respectively. Parasitism was primarily by M. raptorellus (88%), and Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Sanders (11%), while N. vitripennis accounted for <1%. Percent female progeny ranged from 43%, in M. raptorellus to 76% in N. vitripennis. Parasitoid emergence from 2-d exposed sentinel pupae was the lowest of all treatments. Parasitoid emergence from 7-d exposed sentinel pupae was the highest of all treatments. We found no differences between pupal source, suggesting that when sampling for M. raptor, M. raptorellus, and N. vitripennis, in poultry facilities, pupal source is not a confounding factor.

Parasitism rates of Muscidifurax raptorellus and Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) after individual and paired releases in New York poultry facilities.

Commercially reared parasitoids were released into three high-rise, caged-layer poultry houses; one house received only N. vitripennis Walker, the second house received only M. raptorellus Kogan & Legner, and the third house received an equal ratio of both species. Overall, house fly parasitism by M. raptorellus was never higher than 7% in any house. Most parasitism in the M. raptorellus release house was attributed to N. vitripennis. Parasitism of house fly pupae by M. raptorellus did not significantly increase during or after the 6-wk release period in the house that received both parasitoids. However, a depression in total parasitism was not detected when releases of the two species were made in this house.

Impact of the Darkling Beetle Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) on Establishment of the Predaceous Beetle Carcinops pumilio (Erichson) for Musca domestica Control in Caged-Layer Poultry Houses

Abstract Understanding the insect natural history in a caged-layer poultry house is essential to developing Integrated Pest Management strategies. In this study we observed the interaction of three insects commonly found in poultry manure: a filth fly predator, Carcinops pumilio (Erichson) (Histeridae), and two poultry pests, the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Muscidae), and the darkling beetle, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Tenebrionidae). Manure samples were collected weekly and the insects were extracted using Berlese–Tullgren funnels. Collected insects were identified to species and life stage. When C. pumilio populations equaled or exceeded those of the larval house fly, subsequent adult house fly populations were not considered pestiferous. C. pumilio adult and larval cohorts varied significantly among poultry houses. Few C. pumilio larvae were found in houses with abundant darkling beetle populations, suggesting a negative impact on the establishment of C. pumilio. Laboratory studies confirmed that larval darkling beetles significantly reduce the survival of C. pumilio eggs and larvae. Adult darkling beetles did not reduce C. pumilio egg or larval survival.

Effect of airflow on house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) distribution in poultry houses.

Numbers of fecal and vomit spots deposited by house flies, Musca domestica L., on spot cards were about twice as high on cards placed on the downwind sides as on the upwind sides of building support posts in caged-layer poultry houses with tunnel ventilation in Brooksville, FL. This trend was stronger at the ends of the houses where airflow is faster than in the relatively still-air center of the houses. A similar evaluation conducted in a pullet house (Zephyrhills, FL) with an evaporative cooling ventilation system revealed significantly higher fly counts on spot cards and sticky cards in downwind compared with upwind orientations. Flies in the pullet house were concentrated in both ends of the house and in the center, with comparatively fewer flies in the intermediate regions. There was a high degree of correlation between spot card and sticky card counts in the pullet house.

Autosterilization of the house fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) in poultry houses in north-east India

AbstractAutosterilizing devices, composed of 20×50 cm rectangles of white polyester cloth, baited with 50% w/v sucrose and impregnated with 10% suspension concentrate of the chitin synthesis inhibitor triflumuron, were suspended in two caged-layer poultry houses on a 6 ha farm near Bhubaneswar, Orissa Province, in north-east India. Populations of Musca domestica Linnaeus declined significantly over 6 weeks in houses in which the triflumuron-treated targets had been deployed. Following the removal of the targets from these houses, the M. domestica populations subsequently increased. No comparable changes were observed in a control poultry house in which an equal number of targets, dosed with 50% w/v sucrose only, were suspended. Laboratory evaluation of the sugar-baited triflumuron targets confirmed that exposure of the strain of M. domestica present in the poultry manure to triflumuron-treated targets reduced egg hatch to less than 1%. There was no decline in the quantity of triflumuron present on targets during their 6 week exposure in the poultry houses, as shown by gas chromatography. Furthermore, a laboratory bioassay demonstrated no decrease in the potency of the chemical over the exposure period. However, the quantity of sugar present on targets decreased significantly after only 3 weeks exposure. However, populations in the treatment houses were not eliminated and immigration from surrounding houses may have reduced the effectiveness of the technique. The results are discussed in relation to the use triflumuron-treated targets as a practical autoster-ilizing system for house fly control in livestock production systems.

Comparisons of sampling methods and seasonal abundance of Drosophila repleta in caged-layer poultry houses

Four sampling methods were compared to determine their practicality and suitability for detecting population fluctuations of adult Drosophila repleta, a pest in caged-layer poultry houses. Five caged-layer poultry houses with gutter-flush manure removal systems in Franklin County, North Carolina, U.S.A., were sampled once every 2 weeks over 15 months, from June 1991 to August 1992. The flies were most abundant during the spring and early summer. Visual counts of adult flies resting on the feed troughs in front of cages in the aisles and counts of flies caught on a sticky ribbon lowered into the gutter used for manure removal by flushing were more satisfactory sampling methods than using counts of flies caught on sticky ribbons carried along the aisles or aspirator collections from the gutters. For the visual count method, the effects of location in the house, within each aisle, and feed trough height were determined; two counts on feed troughs in each of two inside rows of cages were sufficient to measure population changes. For routine monitoring of D. repleta populations, visual counts of flies resting on the feed troughs in the front area of two aisles and catching flies on sticky ribbons inserted into the rear gutter area are recommended.

Dispersion statistics and sample size estimates for house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae and Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Acari: Macrochelidae) in poultry manure.

The precision of the density estimate for a given population depends upon the population's density and degree of clumping and upon sampling characteristics, such as the number and surface area of the quadrats. The parameters k of the negative binomial distribution and b of Taylor's power law (s2 = a mean b) were determined for third instars of the muscaedomesticae (Scopoli), which were sampled by random quadrats at two shallow-pit, caged-layer poultry houses. Most calculated values of k were < 1, but agreement with the negative binomial distribution was found only in 4, 18, and 14 of the 27 weekly samples for house fly larvae, female mites, and male mites, respectively. Taylor's power law provided the best fit for the distribution (P < 0.01 for all regression coefficients) with s2 = 9.08 mean 1.83 (r2 = 0.97) for third-instar house flies and s2 = 4.65 mean 1.76 (r2 = 0.97) for both sexes of M. muscaedomesticae. Two ecological processes, social clustering and environmental heterogeneity, were hypothesized as the mechanisms determining aggregation of house fly larvae and the macrochelid mites. Regardless of the biological model influencing their distributions, Taylor's power law provided a reliable index for measuring their degree of aggregation. Reliability defined by the coefficient of variability and Taylor's regression coefficients was used to calculate optimum sample size-density estimates for each species with coefficients of variability of 10, 15, 20, and 25%.

Inexpensive Trap for Capturing House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in Manure Pits of Caged-Layer Poultry Houses

An economical and easily constructed trap that captures large numbers of house flies, Musca domestica L., in dark interior areas such as the manure pits beneath high-rise, caged-layer poultry houses was devised. The trap is a Hodge-type trap with a single 40-W blacklight fluorescent bulb and a reflector. Over a 30-d period, three traps hung in the manure pit of a layer house that had a calculated daily fly population of 1,134,000 flies. Each trap averaged 10,500 flies (1% of the population) per day. The traps required cleaning only once every 30 d.

Host Species and Size as Factors in Parasitism by Muscidifurax spp. and Spalangia spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in the Field

Parasite host preference was assessed in a caged-layer poultry house during two seasons in southern California. Fiberglass mesh bags containing equal numbers of Musca domestica L. pupae and Fannia canicularis (L.) pupae or large and small M. domestica pupae were buried in manure in natural fly pupation sites. Equal numbers of parasites emerged from the M. domestica and from the F. canicularis hosts. Parasites did not discriminate significantly against small M. domestica hosts when they were paired with large M. domestica hosts. Sex ratios of emerged Muscidifurax spp. and Spalangia spp. were significantly more female-biased from M. domestica hosts than from F. canicularis hosts during 1985. Sex ratio of emerged Muscidifurax spp. was significantly more female-biased from large M. domestica than from small M. domestica, while Spalangia spp. did not significantly alter progeny sex ratio in response to host size.

Field Evaluation of Abg-6162A (Thuringiensin) as a Fly Larvicide, 1986

Abstract Three open-sided, adjacent caged-layer poultry houses on a ranch in San Bernardino, California, were selected for the test. Houses were 187 m long and had’ single rows of suspended cages (3 birds per 30 by 45 cm cage) on each side. Two rows of double (back-to-back) cages ran down the center portion of each house. Manure accumulated beneath the birds and was 30-40 cm deep at the time of the test. Water leaks and poor air flow contributed to a moderately wet manure condition in the center rows of all 3 houses; M. domestica larvae were abundant and well distributed. Areas of noticeable maggot activity (30 areas per house) were identified at regular intervals in the 2 center rows of manure in each house and were marked with flagging tape on the egg collection racks. At each sampling date, a core of manure (ca. 150 ml volume) was removed from each marked area with a coring device (tube) 5 cm in diameter. Each core was placed in a separate 456 ml plastic cup with a screened lid, labelled by date, house and location. Samples were held in a greenhouse for 6 wk to allow fly emergence. Samples were taken 2 days pretreatment and 5 days after each treatment. Whole-house treatments (water, 750 ppm Thuringiensin and 1500 ppm Thuringiensin) were applied weekly at 45 psi. at 1 gal material per 100 ft2. Average manure moisture levels (10 samples per house) were similar and ranged between 66% and 72% on 19 Sep (just before treatment 1) and 15 Oct (5 days after treatment 4). Weather was unusually cool for the test period, with high temperatures averaging ca. 24°C and low temperatures averaging ca. 10°C (hygrothermograph data from center test house).

Estimating numbers and survival of house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) with mark/recapture methods.

Two applications of the Jolly–Seber model were used to estimate numbers and survival of house flies, Musca domestica L. The multi sample, single-recapture census, using reared, marked flies and capture by baited jug-traps, was used to estimate numbers of adult house flies in a two-story, high-rise, caged-layer poultry house. Density estimates ranged from 1.2 to 11.5 flies per m2 and had coefficients of variation of 0.12–0.52. Daily survival rates (proportion of population which did not die or emigrate during the interval between samples) were 0.19–0.66 per day. The multisample, multirecapture census, using marked native flies and capture by netting, was used to estimate numbers and survival of house flies in a screen-sided, narrow caged-layer poultry house. Estimated fly densities ranged from 24.8 to 1,159.6 flies per m2 with coefficients of variation of 0.03–0.48. Daily survival rates were 0.54–0.99 per day. Survival rates in both studies declined with increasing mean daily temperature (°C)and on average were 0.32 lower in the high-rise house due to effects of dispersal and predation. House fly survival was not affected by marking with oil-soluble dyes, and capture of house flies using the baited jug-trap was not influenced by age, sex, or marked status of the flies. Assumptions in both census methods are discussed and shown to be met under conditions of these experiments.

Comparison of Baited Jug-trap and Spot Cards for Sampling House Fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae), Populations in Poultry Houses

The relationship between known densities of house flies, Musca domestica L., and fly-abundance indices obtained with baited jug-traps and white spot cards in a caged-layer poultry house was determined. Baited jug-traps hung from the ceiling and spot cards fastened to feed troughs gave fly-abundance indices most sensitive to changes in house fly density; spot cards fastened flush against the rafters were slightly less sensitive, and spot cards hung vertically from the rafters were least sensitive. With increasing mean daily temperature (range, 22 to 34°C), estimates of fly-abundance density obtained with baited jug-traps, spot cards fastened to the feed trough, and spot cards fastened hanging from the rafters increased, while the estimates obtained with spot cards fastened flush against the rafters decreased. The relationship between fly-abundance indices obtained with baited jug-traps and spot cards (in different locations) was determined by linear regression. Equations are given for calculating the numbers of sampling devices required at different fly-abundance thresholds for obtaining indices with a desired coefficient of variability.

EFFECT OF DEPTH OF HOUSE FLY PUPAE IN POULTRY MANURE ON PARASITISM BY SIX SPECIES OF PTEROMALIDAE (HYMENOPTERA)1

The recoveries of pteromalid parasites from house fly, Musca domestica L., pupae placed in accumulated poultry manure at the surface and at depths of 3, 5, 10 and 15 cm were determined weekly for 10 weeks in two types of caged-layer poultry houses. No parasites were recovered from fly pupae at the 15 cm depth. Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders and Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Rondani) were the first and second most abundant house fly pupal parasites collected on the surface and 3 cm beneath the surface of the poultry manure in narrow and high-rise caged-layer poultry houses. From house fly pupae 5 cm deep, P. vindemiae was rarely recovered while 5 to 12% of the parasites recovered at that depth were M. raptor. Spalangia cameroni Perkins was the most abundant Spalangia species and was recovered mostly from pupae at 5 and 10 cm deep in the manure in both houses. Other, less abundant, Spalangia species (S. endius Walker and S. nigroaenea Curtis) were recovered from fly pupae to a depth of 10 cm beneath the manure surface in both houses. Muscidifurax zaraptor, an introduced species, was released in the narrow caged-layer poultry house, and was recovered from pupae on the surface and 3 cm deep in the manure.

Cost-Benefit Evaluation of House Fly (Diptera:Muscidae) Control in Caged Layer Poultry Houses

House fly (Musca domestica L.) control was determined in small-unit, commercial, caged layer poultry houses. Cyromazine was the most cost effective treatment (4¢ per bird per season) and provided the highest level of control. Larviciding and adulticiding with dimethoate, fenthion and dimethoate, permethrin and dimethoate, and stirofos provided good fly control, and these treatments were moderately cost effective. The use of dichlorvos-stirofos provided only marginal fly control and was not cost effective. Early-season manure removal, combined with more selective insecticide use would provide the caged layer producer with a more effective management strategy for controlling house flies in small-unit operations.

Monitoring House Fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae), Populations in Caged-Layer Poultry Houses Using a Baited Jug-Trap 1

A baited jug-trap for sampling house fly populations is described. We found trapping of house flies to be most effective at the roof peak in a narrow caged-layer poultry house and ca. 1 m above the manure in a high-rise poultry house, using the jug-trap baited with Super Golden Malrin®, containing 0.025% 2-(1-methylethoxy) phenol methylcarbamate, 0.04% 2, 2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, and 0.025% (Z)-9-tricosene. Yellow painted jug-traps caught more house flies than red, green, blue, black, or white. The period of greatest fly catches in the trap was between 1200 and 1700 EST. Traps baited with the slowrelease synthetic house fly attractant (88% fishmeal, 5% trimethylamine hydrochloride, 5% ammonium sulfate, 1% indole, and 1% linoleic acid) caught fewer flies than traps baited with Improved Golden Malrin®, containing 1.0% methomyl ( S -methyl N -[methylcarbamoyl] oxy) thioacetimidate and 0.025% (Z)-9-tricosene, or Super Golden Malrin, and caught more flies than traps baited with Golden Malrin®, containing 0.093% 2, 2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate and 0.25% 0, 0 -dimethyl 0 -(2, 4, 5-trichlorophenyl) phosphorothioate, when tested in a narrow caged-layer poultry house. Indole was found to be the most attractive chemical in the synthetic formulation and ammonium sulfate decreased the attractiveness of the formulation. We advocate the use of a white, translucent jug-trap baited with 25 g of Improved Golden Malrin and hung at the level of the upper cages as a simple, practical method for monitoring house fly populations in caged-layer houses.

Coleoptera of Poultry Manure in Caged-layer Houses in North Carolina 1

At least 120 species of Coleoptera were recovered from poultry manure in narrow, widespan, and high-rise types of caged-layer poultry houses in the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina. Carcinops pumilio (Erichson) and Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) were consistently the most abundant species in all 3 regions, followed by Gnathoncus nanus (Scriba) and the Aleocharinae (Staphylinidae). According to 5 indices of diversity, the Piedmont ranked 1st in overall diversity, species richness and equitability, followed by the Coastal Plain, and thirdly, by the Mountains. Narrow and high/rise house types were compared for adult and larval C. pumilio and A. diaperinus . The larval population peak for A. diaperinus occurred significantly earlier in the high-rise than in the narrow houses, however, the narrow houses had significantly higher beetle diversity. A qualitative examination of overwintering forms showed that most species overwintered primarily, but not exclusively, as adults.

House Fly Control in Permethrin-Treated Poultry Houses, 1978

Abstract House fly populations in treated and untreated caged-layer poultry houses were monitored to assay residual control by permethrin treatment. A vacated, cleaned house, measuring ca. 100 × 25 m, was sprayed to the point of run-off with a 0.1% Al permethrin (37% EC) spray. Treated surface areas consisted primarily of unfinished wood. A second identical untreated house served as a con-trol. Both houses were restocked following treatment. Weekly estimates of house fly relative population levels in the 2 houses were determined by hanging 4 sticky-trap tapes for 24-h intervals approximately 20 m apart along a center beam above the cages.