scholarly journals Dissemination of Imidacloprid Through Dairy Cattle Manure and Its Effect on the Biological Control Agent, Spalangia endius (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), and a Filth Fly Host, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 974-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin R Burgess ◽  
Sydney M Watkins ◽  
Bethia H King ◽  
Karley Chantos-Davidson ◽  
Aspen N Kremer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Musca Domestica ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Spalangia Endius

scholarly journals A Neonicotinoid Affects the Mating Behavior of Spalangia endius (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a Biological Control Agent of Filth Flies

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aspen N Kremer ◽  
Bethia H King
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Mating Behavior ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Parasitoid Wasp ◽  
Sublethal Effect ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
Male Preference ◽  
Spalangia Endius ◽  
Fly Control

Abstract Spalangia endius Walker is a parasitoid wasp that is commercially available as a biological control agent for filth fly pests in livestock-rearing operations. Imidacloprid is often used to control these flies. The present study examined the sublethal effect of field-realistic concentrations of imidacloprid on mating behavior, offspring sex ratios, and male preference for virgin females. After exposure to imidacloprid, S. endius females that survived were less likely to mate than control females, which will result in male-biased sex ratios because only mated females can produce daughters. Males did not avoid exposed females, but exposed females were almost always unreceptive. Males that survived exposure to imidacloprid exhibited reduced mating competitiveness against unexposed males. However, if an exposed male mated, his mate’s sex ratio and ability to control flies was unaffected. Exposed males were also still able to discriminate against mated, and thus usually unreceptive, females. Together with previous studies, these results suggest that not only does imidacloprid reduce the ability of S. endius females to survive and parasitize hosts, but when an exposed female does survive and parasitize hosts, she is likely to produce just sons, because of her lack of receptivity. More-male-biased populations of S. endius will decrease their efficacy for fly control. Thus, the use of imidacloprid along with this parasitoid may be financially inefficient for pest management.

A Field-Relevant Concentration of the Insecticide Imidacloprid Affects Grooming, Locomotion, and Longevity in the Biological Control Agent Spalangia endius (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 566-571
Author(s):  
Edwin R Burgess ◽  
B H King
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
House Fly ◽  
Low Concentration ◽  
Relevant Concentration ◽  
Spalangia Endius ◽  
Foreign Materials

Abstract Foreign materials like insecticides may increase grooming in insects; and generally, grooming may be expected to reduce effects of insecticides, but this may not be the case when grooming involves the mouth and hence a risk of ingestion. To examine this, female Spalangia endius, a wasp that parasitizes filth fly pupae, were exposed to a surface coated with a low concentration of imidacloprid or not. Their mouthparts were sealed or not to determine whether sealing is a useful method for examining effects of mouth grooming. Wasps mouth-groomed more frequently while exposed to imidacloprid than when not. However, imidacloprid did not increase the number of times that a wasp groomed the rest of her body, and this was true regardless of whether or not her mouthparts were sealed. While exposed to imidacloprid, wasps spent less time locomoting only if their mouthparts were not sealed. Having been exposed to imidacloprid also decreased subsequent longevity, from 9 to 7 d. These effects of imidacloprid on grooming, locomotion, and longevity occurred despite exposure being for just 5 min and to only 2% of the amount that will be present in an area immediately after house fly baits are scattered at their recommended coverage. This is such a low amount that, with 48 h of constant exposure, mortality of these wasps is only 10%. Having mouthparts sealed decreased locomotion and longevity regardless of exposure to imidacloprid. Thus, sealing mouthparts is not useful for measuring effects of mouth grooming.

Biological control of house flies Musca domestica and stable flies Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) by means of inundative releases of Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Skovgård ◽  
G. Nachman
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Musca Domestica ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Control Agent ◽  
House Fly ◽  
Stomoxys Calcitrans ◽  
Stable Fly ◽  
House Flies ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Stable Flies

AbstractThe efficacy of the pupal parasitoid Spalangia cameroni Perkins as a biological control agent was tested against house flies Musca domestica Linnaeus and stable flies Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus) in one dairy cattle and two pig installations in Denmark. Weekly releases of S. cameroni from April through to September–October 1999 and 2000 resulted in significant suppressions of house fly populations to below nuisance level, whereas no effect on stable flies was found. Parasitism was significantly higher in the release years compared to the control years, but was below 25% averaged over the fly season for each farm. A statistical model based on a functional relationship between the innate capacity of increase of the two fly species and three explanatory variables (air temperature, fly density and parasitism) provided a fairly good fit to data with the abundances of house flies and stable flies explained mostly by temperature, but intra- and interspecific competition, and parasitism had a significant effect as well. Overall, the model was capable of explaining 14% and 6.6% of the total variation in data for house fly and stable fly, respectively. Spalangia cameroni was the predominant parasitoid to emerge from exposed house fly pupae, but from mid summer onwards Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Sanders (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) was also quite common. The study indicated that biological control of house flies can be an efficient alternative to chemical control.

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