House Fly Emergence Research Articles

Burial and Compaction of Sandy Soils to Prevent Emergence of Adult Stable Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) at the Soil Surface.

Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans L.) remain a significant pest affecting livestock and rural communities on the Swan Coastal Plain around Perth, Western Australia. Vegetable crop residues remaining after harvest enable stable fly development. Left untreated they can produce from several hundred to >1,000 stable fly/m2 of post-harvest residues. We studied the effect of burial and compaction of sandy soils on adult emergence of stable fly and house fly (Musca domestica L.) (Diptera: Muscidae). Adults of both fly species can move up through 50 cm of loose, dry sand, however at depths greater than 60 cm, emergence rapidly declines with <5% of adults surviving under 100 cm of soil. Burial of stable fly larvae and pupae under 15 cm of soil followed by compaction using a static weight dramatically reduced adult emergence. Moist soil compacted at ≥3 t/m2 completely prevented stable fly emergence whereas house fly emergence was not affected. One t/m2 of compaction resulted in <5% emergence of stable fly buried as pupae. Soil that was easily compactible (i.e., high silt, fine sand and clay content) reduced stable fly emergence more than soil with more coarse sand and low clay content. This study demonstrates the potential for a novel and chemical-free option for controlling stable fly development from vegetable crop post-harvest residue. Field trials are needed to confirm that burial and compaction of vegetable post-harvest residues using agricultural machinery can dramatically reduce the subsequent emergence of adult stable fly on a large scale.

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Certain Attractive Toxic Baits for the Control of the House Fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidac)

The efficiency of boric acid, borax and imidacloprid is evaluated for inhibition of adult house fly emergence (IC values) as dry and liquid baits. In the two cases, imidacloprid has the greatest fatal effect at both IC50 and IC90 levels followed by boric acid and then borax. In the liquid formulation, IC50 and IC90 values are (0.083 and 2.6%), (0.19 and 2.48%) and (2.6 and 16.9%) for three tested compounds respectively. The relative efficiency for imidacloprid and boric acid compared to borax (the least potent one), imidacloprid and boric acid achieved 31.3 and 13.7 times more suppression of adult emergence than borax. In the solid formulation, IC50 and IC90 values are (0.083 - 0.67%) followed by boric acid (3.7-11.6%) and borax (5.74-21.1%) respectively. It’s clear that imidacloprid 68.8 times and boric acid 1.5 times as toxic as borax. Reasons for differences in manifestation of mortality and possibilities for practical application are discussed. We conclude that the efficiency of tested compounds as liquid baits is higher than it as dry baits.

Use of two formulations and two application techniques to deliver Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis for the control of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae and adults in poultry houses

A field study was carried out for 6 wks to assess, from both an efficiency and economic perspective, the effect of individual and integrated success of feeding and topical applications of two formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in controlling house fly (Musca domestica L.) larvae and adults in poultry houses. There was no significant difference between the 1 g and 2 g L−1 spray applications of Bti. In the absence of spray applications, no significant differences in larval mortalities were observed between the 250 mg and 500 mg kg−1 feed applications. The percentage mortality of larvae accomplished as a result of using a combination of 250 mg kg−1Bti feed and 2 g L−1 spray applications was equivalent to that obtained as a result of combining 500 mg kg−1Bti and 1g L−1 spray applications. Treatment with Bti caused significant reductions in the emergence (up to 74%) of house fly adults compared to the control. The fact that the emergence of adult house flies was affected by Bti treatments implies that Bti has sublethal effects on house fly larvae. The cost–benefit analysis (expressed in terms of mortality of larvae growing) indicated that the most effective combination for house fly larvae and adult house fly emergence control was the 500 mg kg−1 of feed and 2 g L−1 spray application combination that resulted in 67% larval mortality and a 74% decrease in adult house fly emergence. This study presents commercial users with various alternatives for possible combinations of the two Bti formulations.

Effects of Compaction and Wetting of Laterite Cover Soil on Development and Survival of &lt;I&gt;Musca domestica&lt;/I&gt; (Diptera: Muscidae) Immatures

Effects of laterite cover soil with different characteristics on survival of buried eggs, third instar larvae, and pupae of Musca domestica (L.) were studied experimentally. Soil treatments were loose dry soil, loose wet soil, compacted dry soil, and compacted wet soil (CWS). Eggs, third instar larvae, and pupae were buried under 30 cm of the different soil treatments and placed under field conditions until adults emerged. Rearing medium was provided for eggs and larvae, and control treatments of all stages were unburied immatures placed on soil surface. Egg and pupal survival to adult were significantly affected by the cover soil treatments, but third instars were more resilient. Wet soil treatments (loose wet soil and CWS) resulted in significantly reduced pupal survival, but increased survival of eggs. However, CWS significantly reduced adult emergence from buried eggs. Though emergence of house flies buried as eggs was significantly reduced, some were able to hatch and emerging first instar larvae developed to pupation. Although cover soil does not completely prevent fly emergence, it did limit development and emergence of buried house flies.

Laboratory Evaluation of Novaluron as a Development Site Treatment for Controlling Larval Horn Flies, House Flies, and Stable Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

A granular formulation of novaluron (Novaluron 0.2G, 0.2% [AI]), a newer benzoylphenyl urea insecticide, was evaluated for its efficacy in controlling the larval stage of horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.); house flies, Musca domestica L.; and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), in cow manure. Various rates and insecticide placement locations (top, middle, and bottom of manure) were evaluated in this study and all combinations of these variables reduced adult emergence of all three species when compared with the untreated controls. The presence of deformed pupae indicated that novaluron had an insect growth regulator effect on the developing fly larvae. Top, middle, or bottom application rates of 0.125, 0.195, 0.25, and 0.375 g novaluron onto manure samples, reduced adult horn fly emergence by > 90%. Middle and bottom application rates of 0.195, 0.25, and 0.375 g novaluron reduced adult house fly emergence >93%. All rates and placement combinations resulted in >98% reduction of adult stable fly emergence. The level of control efficacy observed against these three fly species along with the ease of use of a granular formulation, make this product an ideal candidate for use in an integrated livestock pest management program.

Dewatered Sewage Biosolids Provide a Productive Larval Habitat for Stable Flies and House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Species diversity and seasonal abundance of muscoid flies (Diptera: Muscidae) developing in biosolid cake (dewatered biosolids) stored at a wastewater treatment facility in northeastern Kansas were evaluated. Emergence traps were deployed 19 May through 20 October 2009 (22 wk) and 27 May through 18 November 2010 (25 wk). In total, 11,349 muscoid flies were collected emerging from the biosolid cake. Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)) and house flies (Musca domestica (L.)), represented 80 and 18% of the muscoid flies, respectively. An estimated 550 stable flies and 220 house flies per square-meter of surface area developed in the biosolid cake annually producing 450,000 stable flies and 175,000 house flies. Stable fly emergence was seasonally bimodal with a primary peak in mid-July and a secondary peak in late August. House fly emergence peaked with the first stable fly emergence peak and then declined gradually for the remainder of the year. House flies tended to emerge from the biosolid cake sooner after its deposition than did stable flies. In addition, house fly emergence was concentrated around midsummer whereas stable fly emergence began earlier in the spring and continued later into the fall. Biosolid age and temperature were the most important parameters affecting emergence for house flies and stable flies, whereas precipitation was not important for either species. This study highlights the importance of biosolid cake as a larval developmental habitat for stable flies and house flies.

Interaction between Beauveria bassiana and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis for the control of house fly larvae and adults in poultry houses

Field trials were carried out in the poultry houses to determine if a spray formulation of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin isolate R444 would enhance the control potential of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) applied in chicken feed as a larvicide against house fly larvae and the emergence of adult house flies. The trials compared larval mortalities and adult house fly emergence that resulted from the Bti plus B. bassiana treatments with those resulting from a commercial larvicide, Larvadex, plus B. bassiana treatments. All treatments significantly reduced the house fly larval densities and adult house fly emergence compared with any of the agents acting alone. After 6 wk of application, house fly larvae decreased by 11% as a result of B. bassiana treatment alone, 41% for 250 mg.kg(-1) Bti alone, and 42% for 500 mg.kg(-1) Bti alone. Larval mortalities as a result of the combination treatments were 45 and 52% as a result of 250 mg.kg(-1) Bti plus B. bassiana and 500 mg.kg(-1) Bti plus B. bassiana treatments respectively. House fly larval mortalities as a result of Larvadex and B. bassiana were 30% for Larvadex alone and 38% as a result of Larvadex plus B. bassiana. The Bti treatments were more effective at inhibiting the emergence of adult house flies than Larvadex, even when Larvadex was applied together with B. bassiana. The interaction effects of Bti plus B. bassiana and Larvadex plus B. bassiana were additive. These trials suggested that in the control of house fly larvae, the efficacy of Bti, applied as a larvicide, may be improved with frequent spray applications of B. bassiana to the chicken manure.

Optimum experimental designs for multinomial logistic models.

Multinomial responses frequently occur in dose level experiments. For example, in a study of the influence of gamma radiation on the emergence of house flies (Musca domestica L., 1758), three disjoint outcomes occurred: death before the pupae opened, death during emergence, and life after emergence. Although the flies are easy to breed, this sort of bioassay is, in general, very expensive since it requires the use of a gamma radiation source. Experiments therefore need to be designed to involve the minimum number of different doses. Here the theory of optimum experimental design is applied to provide efficient experiments to estimate the parameters of those multinomial logistic models that are a special case of the multivariate logistic models of Glonek and McCullagh (1995, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 57, 533-546). The purpose is to reduce the overall experimental cost. The general equivalence theorem (Fedorov, 1972, Theory of Optimal Experiments) is adapted to this class of models, providing an effective method of generating and checking the optimality of designs. One example on flies demonstrates the method, which can be easily implemented.

Mortality of Immature Houseflies (Musca domestica L.) in Artificial Diet and Chicken Manure after Exposure to Encapsulated Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae)

The entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema felitae (=bibionis) and Heterorhabditis megidis, were encapsulated in calcium alginate and their efficacy was tested against immature houseflies. Aliquots of capsules (15 ml) containing either 1 000 000, 500 000, 250 000 or 125 000 nematodes were added to 70-ml portions of grassmeal diet containing either eggs of first, second or third instar larvae. After 2 days, the treatment with 1 000 000 encapsulated S. feltiae (=bibionis) had killed 94% of housefly eggs and 90% of first instar larvae. By day 6, both of these mortalities had increased significantly (P 0.005) to 100%. By day 2, in the same medium, 1 000 000 encapsulated H. megidis had killed 71.4% of eggs and 90% of first instar larvae. This increased significantly (P 0.01) by day 6, to 99.2% and 100% respectively. Another experiment was carried out where immature houseflies were placed in chicken manure. The emergence of houseflies as adults was used to measure the effect of the encapsulated nematodes. Depending on the numbers of nematodes and the original stage of the housefly, the treatment with encapsulated S. feltiae resulted in 55-96% reduction in adult housefly emergence, whereas treatment with encapsulated H. megidis resulted in 35-98% reduction in emergence. Finally, when encapsulated nematodes were presented as a bait to adult houseflies, little infectivity was observed.

昆虫寄生性線虫のセンチニクバエ Boettcherisca peregrina とイエバエ Musca domestica 幼虫に対する殺虫効力

Entomogenous nematodes, Steinernema feltiae (ALL and Mexican strains), S. bibionis, S. glaseri, and Heterorhabditis heriothidis were evaluated for their infectivity to larvae of a Japanese species of flesh fly, Boettcherisca peregrina by the contact method with nematode suspension. The 3rd instar larvae of B. peregrina were forced to contact with a suspension of infective larvae of nematodes for 48hr and the mortality of treated insects calculated from adult fly emergence was determined. Both strains (ALL and Mexican) of S. feltiae and S. bibionis were most infective to B. peregrina larvae, followed by H. heriothidis, whereas S. glaseri showed no significant infectivity to larvae of the fly. To investigate the effect of temperature on infectivity of nematodes, the 3rd instar larvae of B. peregrina were incubated with a suspension of nematodes at 5 different temperatures between 15 and 35℃ for 48hr. S. feltiae (ALL and Mexican strains) were most infective at 25 and 30℃, less infective at 30℃, and showed no remarkable activity at 15 and 35℃. Loss of S. feltiae infectivity at 35℃ was due to death or weakening of nematodes at higher temperature. Loss of infectivity at 15℃, on the contrary, was caused by immobility of nematodes at lower temperature. Housefly (SRS strain) larvae were reared in a medium containing S. feltiae (ALL strain) for evaluation of its infectivity. The 2nd instar housefly larvae were placed on standard barley bran media with infective larvae of the nematode and adult fly emergence was subsequently observed. S. feltiae almost completely inhibited house fly emergence at a concentration of (10)^5 per 100g larval medium.

The Effect of Methoprene as a Feed Additive on House Fly Emergence in Poultry Houses

Field trials were conducted in 1974 and 1975 using an encapsulated formulation of methoprene (Altosid™) applied as a feed additive at rates of 7.5 and 10.0 ppm (AI in feed) to control Musca domestica L. in poultry houses. Only limited inhibition of house fly emergence was obtained. In addition, the percentage of house fly emergence in each trial gradually increased as the season progressed. Comparison bioassays were conducted at the end of the 1975 season between field-pressured strains and lab-reared susceptible strains. Results from the field trials and comparison biassays indicated that the causes of the poor inhibition were an exisiting cross-resistance to methoprene followed by an induction of resistance resulting from the continuous exposure to methoprene.

Chickens M. Domestica Control, New York, 1975

Abstract House fly populations in deep pit, climate controlled, caged hen layer houses were monitored in response to aqueous emulsion or feed additive larvicidal treatments. Experimental units were 5 isolated, 50 ft x 400 ft, layer houses, each containing 40,000 birds and having a past history of high house fly populations during summer months. Feed additive was pre-mixed to 10 ppm and fed continuously adlibitum from July 6 through October 9, 1975. Respective 1% aqueous coarse droplet spray treatments were applied at 1 gal/100 sq ft of manuer surface on a semi-weekly or bi-weekly basis from June 20 through October 9, 1975. House fly populations were monitored by 1) weekly analysis of fly specks deposited on 1 in. x 8 1/4 in. white bond paper strips suspended vertically from the ceiling in a fixed pattern, 10 strips per house, and 2) by tallying the number of immature house flies, 2nd and 3rd instars and pupae, recovered weekly by brine flotation from 25 one-lifer samples of surface manure per house. House fly emergence from pupae collected in manure exposed to aqueous solution and feed additive treatments was also assessed. Treatment efficacy was rated by comparison of adult house fly populations with a nuisance threshold of 500 fly specks/strip (mean); at or above this level, house flies were an objectionable nuisance to personnel conducting operational procedures.

Methoprene as a feed additivie for control of the house fly breeding in chicken manure.

Laboratory bioassays were conducted using an 86.9% technical and an encapsulated 7% dry premix formulation of methoprene (Altosid®). The formulations were added to chicken feed to control Musca domestica L. breeding in chicken manure. A rate of 50 ppm (AI in feed) for the technical formulation resulted in good inhibition of house fly emergence (≤ 4%) after the chickens were fed treated feed for 3 days. A rate of 5.0 ppm (AI in feed) for the encapsulated formulation resulted in good inhibition of house fly emergence (≤ 7%) after the chickens were fed treated feed for 8 days.