Standard Bait Research Articles

Wild kea response to non-toxic baits with and without deer repellent – implications for management

ABSTRACT 1080 toxin (sodium fluoroacetate) is used in New Zealand for possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and ship rat (Rattus rattus) control but can result in unintentional by-kill of native (e.g. kea Nestor notabilis) and non-native (e.g. deer) fauna. A newly developed deer repellent (Prodeer) in 1080 bait has proved highly effective in reducing deer by-kill while not impacting target pest efficacy. The ingredients in Prodeer bait are undisclosed due to commercial sensitivity, thus it is unknown whether this bait type increases acceptability and palatability to kea and increases risk over and above that posed by the standard (RS5) bait type normally used in aerial poisoning operations. During choice trials comparing kea responses to, and consumption of, non-toxic Prodeer and RS5 baits at alpine sites around Arthur’s Pass National Park and central Westland we found kea Prodeer and RS5 consumption (per interaction and total) were not significantly different. Most individuals consumed substantially less of both bait types than the estimated lower 1080 LD50 threshold for kea, and vastly less than captive kea consume. We conclude that 1080 operations using Prodeer are unlikely to pose a risk significantly over and above that already presented to kea in standard RS5 1080 operations.

A diverse range of Phytophthora species from botanical gardens in South Africa, including the novel Clade 5 species, Phytophthora mammiformis sp. nov.

The genus Phytophthora contains many destructive and globally important plant pathogens. In the last decade, targeted sampling efforts have resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of known species, as well as a better understanding of their global distribution. Routine activities undertaken in botanical gardens, combined with great numbers of local and international visitors, place botanical gardens at risk to the accidental introduction and establishment of pathogens such as Phytophthora spp. In this study, the occurrence of Phytophthora was investigated in two botanical gardens in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. Symptomatic collar and stem tissues were collected, and root and rhizosphere soil samples were taken from trees exhibiting symptoms of decline. Standard baiting techniques and direct plating of symptomatic tissues revealed the presence of seven species of Phytophthora residing in four phylogenetic clades. Five of these species, P. cinnamomi, P. citrophthora, P. multivora, P. parvispora and the informally designated taxon Phytophthora sp. stellaris were known to be present in South Africa and P. aquimorbida was recorded for the first time. Of these, P. citrophthora represented a novel host-pathogen association causing bleeding cankers on indigenous Celtis africana. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, βtub, cox1 and hsp90 sequences showed the presence of an undescribed species belonging to the Phytophthora ITS Clade 5. This species is described here as Phytophthora mammiformis sp. nov. This study highlights the importance of monitoring botanical gardens for the detection and discovery of pathogens and emphasises their value as sites for the discovery of novel host-pathogen associations. Citation: Paap T, Balocchi F, Burgess TI, Bose T, Wingfield MJ (2024). A diverse range of Phytophthora species from botanical gardens in South Africa, including the novel Clade 5 species, Phytophthora mammiformis sp. nov. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 13: 111-122. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2024.13.05.

Comparing Ant Activity and Plants Bearing Extrafloral Nectaries in Rockland Habitats of the Florida Keys with Those of the Everglades and the Bahamas

Rocklands are present in South Florida, both on the peninsula and in the Keys. Previous work has shown that extrafloral nectaries on pine rockland plants in the Florida Everglades and surrounding areas play a role in attracting ant protectors. Species with nectaries are more abundant and ant activity greater in more recently burned pine rockland habitats compared with longer undisturbed rockland hammock forest. The floristic composition and prevailing climate of Keys rocklands differs substantially from those on the mainland, so we sought to investigate ant activity and the abundance of plants with extrafloral nectaries in Big Pine Key rockland habitats. Standard baiting methods were used to assess ant abundance and potential predation activity in hardwood hammock, shrubby pine rockland, and open pine rockland sites. Ant activity was the lowest in open pine rockland, greatest in hardwood hammock, and intermediate in shrubby pine rockland, the opposite of what has been observed in previous studies in southern peninsular Florida and on Andros, Bahamas. Sampling vegetation at these same sites revealed a larger proportion of plant species with extrafloral nectaries in the pine rocklands than the hammock, as observed previously in Everglades habitats. Possible reasons for differences in ant activity in Keys rockland habitats are discussed.

Spruce Protection against Ips typographus with Anti-Attractant Blend of Tree-Based Semiochemicals: From Small Experimental Plots to Stand Scales

Tree-killing bark beetles require rapid management, such as anti-attractants, to stop the enlargement of attack hot-spots. We tested two newer anti-attractant blends, both without verbenone and one with the addition of trans-4-thujanol, in traps against standard pheromone baits for inhibition of catch. Both blends provided effective catch reduction (>95%). We also tested these anti-attractant blends in tree protection experiments for two years. We had experimental plots with a center of an anti-attractant protected tree zone, with no traditional control area, but we followed tree kills in 10 m wide concentric rings to 100 m. In 2020, we had 12 plots, and 9 plots in 2021. Monitoring by low-strength pheromone traps followed beetle flight averaging 300/trap during the shorter period, August 2020, and 5000/trap during the longer period, May to August 2021. The blends of anti-attractants were 100% effective in avoiding tree mortality in both treated trees and their surroundings. There were no bark beetle attacks on any treated trees, and there was zero tree mortality up to 19 m in 2020, and up to 30 m in 2021, thus full protection to circa 20 m. The density of killed trees then increased from close to zero, over 20 to 50 m, reaching a level of ca 30 (trees/ha) then declined. The spatial pattern of tree mortality on our experimental plots was highly heterogeneous and individual 10m-ring data points on tree kill density could not be statistically separated. In contrast, a non-linear regression model showed a continuous increase of attacks over the distance from the center to a peak ca 60m, followed by a decline. This model agrees partly with the only similar study in the literature, but importantly, it does not give a peak of kill density at distances between the first and second rings close to treatment zones. Such patterns of close-quarter kills have been observed as a “switching” of attack in this and other scolytid systems manipulated by anti-attractants, but not in the present study, likely due to the elimination of verbenone from our blends.

Termite cuticular extracts improve acceptance of bait for controlling invasive Asian needle ants, Brachyponera chinensis.

The Asian needle ant, Brachyponera chinensis, is an invasive ant currently spreading in urban and natural habitats throughout the eastern United States. Recent studies have documented the negative impact of B. chinensis on native ecosystems and human health, yet effective control strategies are lacking. Control difficulties are, in part, due to the unique biology of B. chinensis, which is a predatory ant and a termite specialist. Given that subterranean termites are an important nutritional resource for B. chinensis, the current study evaluated the potential of termite cuticular extract to improve the target-specificity and efficacy of commercial bait used for B. chinensis control. The efficacy of bait augmented with termite cuticular extracts was evaluated in laboratory and field trials. In laboratory assays, B. chinensis colonies were offered granular bait treated with termite cuticular extract. Results demonstrated that the acceptance of commercial bait is significantly increased by the addition of termite cuticular extract or synthetic (Z)-9-pentacosene, a major component of termite cuticular extract. Foraging activity of Asian needle ants was significantly greater on baits augmented with termite cuticular extract or (Z)-9-pentacosene relative to standard bait. Furthermore, bait augmented with termite cuticular extract worked substantially faster relative to standard bait. To evaluate population effects, field studies were conducted in forested areas invaded by B. chinensis. Bait treated with termite cuticular extract scattered on the forest floor provided rapid control of B. chinensis and ant densities throughout the treated plots declined by 98% within 14 days. The incorporation of termite cuticular extracts and individual cuticular hydrocarbons such as (Z)-9-pentacosene into traditional baits used for B. chinensis control may offer a novel tool to manage this increasingly problematic invasive ant. © 2023 The Author. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

COMPARISON OF WARFARIN AND BROMADIOLONE BAITS FOR RAT CONTROL IN OIL PALM PLANTATIONS - EXPERIENCES IN THE 1990S

In rat population studies conducted in an oil palm plantation near Kulai, the 19-, 20- and 21-year-old plantings with low percentage fresh damage of 2-3 per cent had low to high rat population of Rattus rattus diardii (R. r. diardii) ranging from 83-542 rats per hectare. Although, the percentage of fresh damage of rat detected in the tall and older planting palms were low, the rat population on the ground was still high on per hectare basis. When single plot of warfarin and bromadiolone baits were tested to control R. r. diardii in the oil palm plantation near Kulai, three treatments were found to be effective. The treatments were ten rounds of bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g) at one bait per palm and 50 per cent application density, five rounds of bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g) at five baits per palm and 50 per cent application density, and nine rounds of bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 21 g) at one bait per palm and 50 per cent application density. In labour short situation, five rounds of bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g) at five baits per palm and 50 per cent application density may be recommended, bearing in mind a higher material cost will be incurred in such application of multiple baits per palm. In another single plot of warfarin and bromadiolone baits were tested to control Rattus tiomanicus (R. tiomanicus) in an oil palm plantation near Bekok and all the four bromadiolone bait treatments gave good control and recorded no fresh damage in post-baiting assessments. In terms of total bait applied per hectare basis, the best treatment was bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g, one bait per palm) at 5.95 kg requiring eight baiting rounds followed by bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 21g, one bait per palm) at 7.71 kg requiring eight baiting rounds per campaign. Baiting with bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g, one bait per palm) and 50 per cent application density is recommended for the control of R. r. diardii and R. tiomanicus, especially if the rat population is in high number in oil palm plantations. In plantations facing labour shortage, baiting with bromadiolone bait (0.005%, 14.5 g, five baits per palm) at 50 per cent application density is recommended as the stopgap measure. Once control is achieved, it is recommended to reverse back to standard baiting of one bait per palm in normal routine six-monthly programmes. Keywords: Rats, oil palm plantations, baiting, warfarin, bromadiolone.

Effect of Irrigation on the Control of Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by Water-Resistant and Standard Fire Ant Baits.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Buren), is an invasive pest of agricultural, urban, and natural areas. It is also considered a public health pest due to its painful stings. While it can be efficiently controlled by commercially available fire ant baits formulated with a corn-grit carrier, rain or irrigation is thought to degrade the carrier, compromising bait effectiveness. This study assessed the effect of irrigation on the efficacy of water-resistant and standard fire ant bait formulations, by comparing worker number, brood volume, and queen survivorship after access to water-soaked baits and to irrigated, bait-treated sod. In initial testing, wetted water-resistant and standard baits reduced fire ant colonies less than dry baits, both when baits were given to colonies directly and when colonies were given access to baits broadcasted (i.e., scattered) atop sod. Comparisons of the efficacy of piled versus broadcast applications of water-resistant and standard baits revealed reductions of >88% in adults and brood and no surviving queens for all bait treatments. This result was unexpected because piled baits were hypothesized to be better protected from irrigation than broadcast bait applications. In a field study, irrigated water-resistant and standard baits caused similar and significantly higher reductions in fire ant foraging activity relative to an untreated control. These results indicated that both the water-resistant and standard fire ant bait provided significant fire ant reductions even after irrigation.

Potential Susceptibility of Six Aquatic Plant Species to Infection by Five Species of Phytophthora.

Investigations of the susceptibility of aquatic plants to species of Phytophthora are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the potential susceptibility of six aquatic plant species, frequently used in constructed wetlands or vegetated channels, to infection by five species of Phytophthora commonly found at nurseries in the southeastern United States. In a greenhouse experiment, roots of each plant species (Agrostis alba, Carex stricta, Iris ensata 'Rising Sun', Panicum virgatum, Pontederia cordata, and Typha latifolia) growing in aqueous solutions were exposed to zoospores of each of the species of Phytophthora (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora citrophthora, Phytophthora cryptogea, Phytophthora nicotianae, and Phytophthora palmivora). Zoospore presence and activity in solution were monitored with a standard baiting bioassay with rhododendron leaf discs as baits. Experiments were initiated in 2016 and repeated in 2017 and 2018. During the 2016 trials, Phytophthora spp. were not isolated from the roots of any of the plants, but some roots of C. stricta, P. virgatum, and T. latifolia were infected with multiple species of Phytophthora during trials in 2017 and 2018. Presence of plant roots reduced the percentage of rhododendron leaf discs infected by zoospores of four of the species of Phytophthora but not those infected by P. cinnamomi, which suggested that roots of these plants negatively affected the presence or activity of zoospores of these four species of Phytophthora in the aqueous growing solution. Results from this study demonstrated that certain aquatic plant species may be sources of inoculum at ornamental plant nurseries if these plants are present naturally in waterways or used in constructed wetlands treating water flowing off production areas, which could be of concern to plant producers who recycle irrigation water.

A Multi-Model Paradigm in Application to the Analysis of the Factors Defining the Epizootic Situation in the Communities of Non-Synanthropic Small Mammals in Ekaterinburg

The aim of the work was to rank statistical models for assessing the contribution of a number of factors that determine the epizootic situation on natural-focal infectious diseases in the communities of non-synanthropic small mammals (SM) in the forests of Ekaterinburg.Materials and methods. The SM survey was carried out for three years in the summer-autumn period. The animals were caught with snap tpaps on a standard bread bait, 9705 trap-nights were worked out. To identify infections (hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, tularemia, leptospirosis, yersiniosis, pseudotuberculosis), 333 SM specimens (rodents and shrews of six species) were used, randomly taken from the general sample. To determine the pathogens, the methods of enzyme immunoassay and polymerase chain reaction were used. The cumulative infection rate of small mammals with all studied natural-focal infections was evaluated. Statistical data processing was carried out from the standpoint of a multi-model approach. The selection of models was performed using the Akaike information criterion with the calculation of the sum of the weights of the models based on their full spectrum (SW).Results and discussion. Carriers of all of the mentioned above infections, except for pseudotuberculosis, have been identified in the forest parks of Ekaterinburg. According to the ranking, the model with three predictors received the highest weight: species, year, and the abundance of SM of the previous year in a particular habitat. The most significant predictors for the full spectrum of models are the year (SW=1), species (SW=0.6), abundance of animals in the current and previous year (SW=0.48). The distribution of positive samples by species of small mammals corresponded to their ranking by abundance in the community. The influence of the factors “season” (summer or autumn) and “area” (place of capture of animals) turned out to be insignificant on the scale of the studies (SW = 0.3 and 0.16, respectively). The percentage of infected samples in total for all infections varied significantly by location and year (0–60%). The possible significance of unaccounted factors is discussed: landscape features and the mode of using forest parks, dispersal of small mammals. The conclusion is made about the usefulness of the multi-model approach in the analysis of the data from epizootiological studies.

APPLICATION METHODS OF COUMATETRALYL BAITS TO CONTROL RATTUS RATTUS DIARDII IN HIGH INFESTATION AREAS

The most widely practiced method of rat control in oil palm plantations is by baiting with anticoagulant rat poisons. Two experiments were conducted to study the efficacy and susceptibility of first-generation anticoagulant rat bait, coumatetralyl (0.375%) to control Rattus rattus diardii. In the first experiment, a laboratory trial was conducted to test two commercial coumatetralyl 0.375 per cent rat baits (5 g and 6 g) and one brodifacoum bait (5 g) in comparison with an untreated control. All the three baits provided excellent kill of Rattus rattus diardii. The results indicated that, Rattus rattus diardii from the locality of Sampit in Central Kalimantan was susceptible to first-generation anticoagulant of coumatetralyl and coumatetralyl baits were highly palatable. The laboratory findings prompted to evaluate the efficacy of first-generation bait in the field. The second experiment was conducted in an 18-year-old mature oil palm field to evaluate coumatetralyl rat bait in three baiting treatments to control high rat infestation with high fresh damage (18%; 12%; 15%; 17%) of Rattus rattus diardii. The coumatetralyl wax bait was evaluated with one bait per palm (replacement at 4 days interval), three baits per palm (replacement at 7 days interval) and five baits per palm (replacement at 7 days interval); and an untreated control treatment was included. All the three baiting treatments provided successful control of rats and reduced the rat population to a negligible level. The standard baiting treatment required nine baiting rounds. The three baits per palm and five baits per palm treatments needed eight and five baiting rounds respectively. The fresh damage on fresh fruit bunches (FFB) in all the three treatments were observed to have reduced from high level to 0 per cent. The first-generation coumatetralyl anticoagulant bait was effective for the control of Rattus rattus diardii. Hence, it is good approach to use the first-generation baits (for example coumatetralyl bait) in susceptible rat population areas until such time the change to second generation rodenticide bait is required. Placements of more baits required fewer baiting rounds but may result in over application of baits which lead to high cost. Therefore, multiple bait application is not recommended for routine baiting campaigns. It is relatively an interim measure for quick reduction of rat populations especially in high infestation areas. Keywords: Oil palm, high rat population, baiting, first-generation anticoagulant, coumatetralyl, Rattus rattus diardii.

Factors leading to successful island rodent eradications following initial failure

AbstractIsland rodent eradications are increasingly conducted to eliminate the negative impacts of invasive rodents. The success rate in the tropics has been lower than in temperate regions, triggering research and reviews. Environmental factors unique to the tropics (e.g., land crabs and year‐round rodent breeding) have been associated with eradication failure. Operational factors have also been important, but these have not been comprehensively assessed. The environmental and operational factors using global cases where rodent eradication initially failed and subsequent attempts occurred were compared. It was determined whether operational factors explained the initial failures, whether operational improvements explained subsequent successes, and whether re‐attempting eradication after failure was worthwhile. About 35 eradication attempts on 17 islands, each with 1–2 species from a total of 5 species (Mus musculus and 4 Rattus spp.) were identified. On 14 islands (82%), eradication was achieved on the second (86%) or third attempt (14%). On the remaining 3 islands, eradication was not achieved. Evidence of operational faults for all failed attempts was found (e.g., poor planning, low quality bait, and gaps during bait application). In some cases, operational faults were unequivocally the cause of failure, but in others, it was impossible to discriminate from confounding, environmental factors. Nonetheless, failures appeared to be mainly the result of not exposing all rodents to a lethal dose of toxin, violating a crucial eradication principle. This can cause operational failure on any temperate or tropical island. However, there may be less tolerance for errors such as gaps in bait coverage on tropical islands, mainly due to bait consumption by land crabs. The findings on factors leading to eradication success (e.g., expert reviewed plans, realistic funding and permits, high standard baiting operations) reflect current best practice recommendations. Strict adherence to best practice is expected to increase overall rates of eradication success.

Offseason Medfly Trapping Using Makeshift Fruit-Based and Wine Vinegar Baits.

Development of cost-effective traps and attractants is important for sustainable pest management. In the case of the Medfly, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann, a worldwide pest of fruit production, recent interest in development of mass trapping strategies and low-cost easy-to-get artisanal traps for resource poor grower use has prompted renewed interest in research on attractants and traps. Additionally, such interest is also rooted on the need for effective female attractants to monitor wild population dynamics under male-only sterile fly releases. Response of wild flies and sterile males to makeshift traps (modified polyethylene terephthalate (pet) bottles) baited with fruit juice and wine vinegar dilutions with and without the addition of sugar revealed that a 50% dilution of wine vinegar or sweetened orange juice were more attractive than the standard Torula baits during the offseason (after harvest) in a peach orchard in arid irrigated valleys of San Juan Argentina. Such results suggest that volatiles from orange peel and juice are good candidates for development of Medfly attractants, and that pet bottles baited with sweetened orange juice and wine vinegar may be used by small growers and homeowners as low-cost-effective traps for Medfly control. Our results also suggest that Medfly response to food-based and fruit-based volatiles may be seasonally dynamic, a finding with important pest management implications.

Верификация нового гуманного метода оценки обилия мелких млекопитающих с помощью биомаркеров

Potential problems of the previously developed reconnaissance bottle-based method for estimating abundance of small mammals were studied. Our first aim was to determine which of the two intervals between bottles on a transect (five or ten meters) is prone to higher measurement errors because of individuals who visit more than one bottle per day. The second aim was to compare selectivity of bottles and snap traps depending on the species and sex-age structure of a community. Spot alternate marking with oat-grain bait containing rhodamine B or tetracycline was used. Plastic bottles with baits were placed on transects with an interval of five or ten meters. A day later animals were caught by snap traps baited by a standard bread bait and the biomarkers were searched. Individuals with both rhodamine and tetracycline marks were considered to have visited more than one bottle per day. There was no statistically significant difference between the two ways of placing bottles based on the proportion of individuals with a double mark (5.3% on the ten meters line and 6.2% on the five meters line). Completeness of marking was higher when the interval was five meters (max = 77%) than when it was ten meters (max = 46%), which might raise the accuracy of the abundance estimation. Selectivity of both bottles and snap traps depending on the species, sex or age of a rodent did not differ. The received results confirm that recalculation of the abundance index acquired using the bottle-based method into relative population numbers is legitimate. Rhodamine B was proven to be a more efficient biomarker than tetracycline.

Synaphobranchid eel swarms on abyssal seamounts: Largest aggregation of fishes ever observed at abyssal depths

The abyssal seafloor makes up three quarters of the ocean floor, and it is generally characterized as a food-limited habitat with low numbers of megafauna, particularly fishes. Baited camera observations from three abyssal seamount summits in the equatorial Pacific challenge this idea. On each of two deployments at the southernmost seamount, over 100 synaphobranchid eels (Ilyophis arx) were recorded feeding on standard bait (1 kg mackerel). This is the highest number of fishes per kg of bait ever recorded below 1000 m, including observations from large organic falls such as cetacean and shark carcasses. It is also the highest number that has ever been recorded at carrion of any kind or size at abyssal depths. We suggest an abyssal ‘seamount effect’ may be responsible, highlighting the potential importance of seamounts in structuring abyssal communities.

Identification of Human-Derived Attractants to Simulium damnosum Sensu Stricto in the Madi-Mid North Onchocerciasis Focus of Uganda.

Human landing collections (HLCs) have been the standard method for the collection of black flies that serve as vectors for Onchocerca volvulus, the causative agent of onchocerciasis or river blindness. However, HLCs are inefficient and may expose collectors to vector-borne pathogens. The Esperanza window trap (EWT) has been shown to be a potential alternative to HLCs for the collection of Simulium damnosum, the principal vector of O. volvulus in Africa. To improve the performance of the EWT, sweat from individuals highly attractive or less attractive to S. damnosum sensu stricto was examined by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Twelve compounds were identified which were solely present or present in increased amounts in the sweat of the highly attractive individuals. Two of these compounds (naphthalene and tert-hexadecyl mercaptan) were found to be attractive to S. damnosum s.s. in behavioral assays. Traps baited with these compounds outperformed those baited with the current standard bait of worn socks. Using these newly identified compounds as baits will make the EWT more efficient in collecting vector black flies and may enhance the potential utility of the EWT as a local vector control measure.

Conditioned aversion in kea to cereal bait: A captive study using anthraquinone

The kea (Nestor notabilis, plural kea), an alpine parrot endemic to New Zealand’s South Island, is endangered by introduced mammalian predators. Aerially deployed 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) toxin in cereal baits is an important tool in the control of mammalian pest species in New Zealand. Kea are omnivorous and forage on the ground, and thus are at direct risk of consuming toxic baits. This study examined the degree to which kea can develop an aversion to bait that mimicked the visual, textural, and olfactory nature of 1080 baits in two standard cereal bait types, Wanganui #7 and RS5. Treatment baits contained 2.7 % by weight anthraquinone (CAS 84-65-1), a secondary bird repellent that causes an emetic response through mild gut irritation. A sample of 11 captive kea were hand-offered Wanganui #7 baits, starting with untreated bait to obtain a baseline measure of consumption. Two days later the birds were hand-offered treated (repellent) baits in two sessions over four days. In subsequent sessions untreated baits were again offered to measure aversion. Of the 10 birds that consumed untreated bait during the initial session, all 10 consumed at least some treated bait and only one consumed untreated bait in the final session. The process was repeated with RS5 bait. Of the 9 kea that ate the treated RS5 bait, 4 subsequently consumed untreated bait but only one to a level that would have been fatal (LD50) with toxic bait. These results show that kea can learn to become averse to baits mimicking those used in aerial 1080 operations, and that this aversion response lasts at least through 6 interactions with baits (3 per day). This opens up the possibility of creating a learned aversion in wild kea populations, and mitigating their risk from aerial 1080 operations.

Numbers of Small Mammals in Fields, Stacks, and Ricks in the South Central Chernozem Region

Abstract—The results of studies conducted by the sanitary and epidemiological service in the Voronezh oblast from 1959 to 2013 were analyzed. Records of small mammals (SMs) were carried out by snap traps with wire hooks for baiting. Standard bait (black bread pieces flavored with sunflower oil) was used. Traps were placed in lines. The numbers of SMs were calculated as the percentage of animals that fell into 100 traps per day. The data obtained were analyzed using conventional statistical methods, including the method of standard deviations. The results were considered in the territory of two regions: the Oka–Don lowland plain and the Central Russian upland in fields from May to September (the “warm” period) and in stacks and ricks from August to March (the “cold” period). It is shown that the situation in fields in the warm period and that in ricks and stacks in the cold period allow us to judge the future abundance of SMs in these localities. It is assumed that the described trends can be used for short-term prognoses of the abundance of SMs and as substantiation when planning antiepizootic, epidemiological, and phytosanitary measures. One should take into account the degree of synanthropy of certain SM species and their epidemic significance. In addition, for this purpose, it is necessary to carry out seasonal counts of SMs in the analyzed habitats constantly. Despite the reduction in the numbers of stacks and ricks in recent years, data on the numbers of SMs in these habitats are still of particular interest for analysis of the situation.

Taxonomic note on a rare fish infecting freshwater mould Achlya ambisexualis Raper 1939 (Achlyaceae) isolated from Chandraprabha dam, Uttar Pradesh, India

Achlya spp. are oomycetous water moulds, responsible for freshwater fish diseases causing great economic losses. An Achlya sp. implicated in significant fungal infections of both live and dead fish as well as their eggs, has been isolated from the water and soil samples collected from Chandraprabha dam (Chandauli District, Uttar Pradesh, India) employing standard baiting method. Based on morphological characterisation, the strain was identified as Achlya ambisexualis Raper 1939 (Saprolegniales, Oomycetes). It is a dioecious species, characterised by the presence of an achlyoid type of spore dehiscence from both primary and secondary sporangia, differentiated by its oospheres predominantly maturing into eccentric oospores, generally 1-18 per oogonium and gemmae cylindrical in both antheridial and oogonial mycelia. In India, this species was recorded from a single collection in the past but lack proper description and illustrations. The present study describes and illustrates this species for the first time in India and hoped to be beneficial for ichthyopathologists and researchers as A. ambisexualis is known as a necrotroph or parasite of fishes and their eggs.

Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) baiting and trapping

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a newly invasive fruit fly species that has become a serious threat to fruit crops in the USA. Using a prominent and serrated ovipositor, the female SWD pierces and inserts her eggs inside healthy ripening fruit and if management action is not taken this could lead to rapid infestation of an entire farm. SWD causes significant damage to a wide range of hosts but is especially damaging to berry crops. Using traps, some growers monitor for the presence of SWD to determine when to spray insecticides. SWD can be readily distinguished from non-SWD fruit flies by several distinctive anatomic markings. The current gold standard non-commercial bait for SWD monitoring is yeast sugar water. From a commercial perspective, the Scentry trap and lure system is the best trap for monitoring SWD in commercial fields. The objective of this study was to discover which bait was most effective in trapping SWD on a blueberry farm. The different baits tested included distilled water, apple cider vinegar (ACV), newly fermented blueberry wine made on the farm, new blueberry wine + ACV, red grape wine, red grape wine + ACV, and commercially available synthetic SWD bait (Pherocon) + ACV. This study showed new blueberry wine to be the most effective, specific, and cost effective bait for trapping SWD. New blueberry wine trapped 27.5% of all the SWD, whereas ACV only caught 4%. New blueberry wine preferentially trapped female over male SWD.

Field Trials with Toxic Bait for the Control of the Brown Garden Snail (Helix aspersa, Muller)

Standard and new snail baits were evaluated for the control of the brown garden snail, Helix aspersa Miiller in a vineyard. As a ground treatment, the proprietary bait Sluggem (carbaryl/metaldehyde) gave satisfactory control, whereas Mesurol (methiocarb) bait or Mesurol (methiocarb) wettable powder mixed with bran and water were less successful. The new proprietary bait formulation, Suprasnail (metaldehyde), was effective on the ground and arboreally (on the arms of the vine).