Effects of Three Selected Pesticides on the Non-Biting Midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Rice Agro-Ecosystem of an area of West Bengal; India

Deformities of non biting midge larvae’s mouthparts are considered as indicators of environmental degradation that caused by water pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, organic contaminants etc. The present investigation was aimed to assess the effects of 3 pesticides, viz. Cartap Hydrochloride, Carbofuran and Fipronil on deformities of chironomid larvae of the Rice fields of Village Dhunui; Memari Block-II of Burdwan district in West Bengal. The study area is dominated by the species of the genus Chironomus of chironomid community. Concurrently six (6) species were considered. The average percentage of mouthpart deformities was 14% in all chironomid larvae. Highest degree of malformation was noticed in Chironomus circumdatus in which more than 18.90% of all specimens were affected. However, further investigative efforts are essential to investigate the actual explanation in support of the occurrence of high degree of deformities in chironomid.