Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Evaluate the effects of climate change on filth fly populations and their natural enemies. 1A. House fly management under high temperature conditions. 1B. Verify seasonality, resource preference and range of Stomoxys niger in East Africa. 2. Increase the efficiency of integrated pest management programs by the development and improvement of traps and behavior-altering surfaces and chemicals. 2A. Identify and develop stable fly optical or chemical attractants which will improve trap efficacy. 2B. Conceive of or develop applications for behavior-altering devices, surfaces and chemicals (e.g., attractants, repellents, and pesticides) for practical use on and around livestock and poultry. 3. Develop management techniques for fly larvae. 3A. Development of more effective larval detection and control techniques for filth flies. 3B. Autodissemination of Insect Growth Regulators (IGR⿿s) by house flies. 4. Improve biological control techniques for filth flies. 4A. Improved efficacy of Beauveria bassiana by formulating combination products with other agents. 4B. Location of host pupae by filth fly parasitoids. 4C. Improve the quality of commercially available fly parasitoids. Approach (from AD-416): Objective 1 will investigate and identify methods for management of house flies under the higher temperatures expected to occur with global warming. It will also use trapping data to determine risk of introduction of exotic Stomoxys spp. in the U.S. Objective 2 will develop chemical or optical attractants that will enable traps for stable flies to become more efficient and capture greater numbers of flies. It will also adapt behavior-altering devices, such as pesticide-impregnated fabrics, for different uses, such as attract and kill devices. Objective 3 will evaluate new methods for determining the presence of sub-surface immature fly populations in field habitats. It will also further develop methods to allow house flies to spread selected IGRs throughout their habitats. Objective 4 will improve the efficacy of a biological control agent by formulating it with other selected lethal agents. It will also investigate the methods (e.g., chemical cues) used by parasitic wasps to locate fly pupae in field habitats. Finally, we will gain new knowledge on the effects of long-term colonization on the performance of parasitic wasps being released into the field. This is the final report for project 6036-32000-049-00D. Data from the previous years⿿ research on the effects of high temperatures on flies and parasitoids were analyzed and two papers were submitted for publication in the Journal of Medical Entomology. Both papers were accepted for publication in May-June 2019. Work on optically attractive cloth targets was completed sooner than expected and a paper has been published. Reducing target size was the key to making the targets easier to use and easier to transport. Attempts to interest industry partners have so far been unsuccessful. Devices to physically capture flies without adhesives were evaluated but were found to be ineffective because more testing was required to determine the optimum size for the openings in the cloth substrate that would entangle the feet of the flies. Work has been delayed because a major cooperator has been assigned to another job position. Tests with the attract and kill device are or will be conducted in the field during the 2019 fly season in the U.S., Costa Rica and Greece. Flies are attracted to this device by a commercial trap, but they must pass through holes in a pesticide-treated fabric surrounding the trap to reach the attractive trap surface. Hole size impedes passage through the treated fabric long enough for the fly to acquire a toxic dose of pesticide. Capture of headspace volatiles produced by fly larvae developing in selected laboratory media or substrates continues at a very slow pace because the key cooperator no longer works full time at our laboratory. Efforts are being made to find a new cooperator who will be willing to continue the work. This subobjective was re-directed towards determining the practicality of releasing pyripoxyfen-treated flies instead of using autodissemination stations. The proportion of treated flies in a population needed to provide satisfactory control was determined. This study and the autodissemination work from previous years were submitted to and published in the Journal of Pest Science. Work on combining Beauveria bassiana with bacterial pathogens for adult fly control was completed in 2018. Work continued on evaluating efficacy of B. bassiana against fly larvae. House fly larvae are exceptionally difficult to infect with B. bassiana, probably because their constant movement through a wet substrate prevents spore attachment and germination. A strain of B. bassiana isolated from Florida house flies (strain NFH10) was subjected to selection over 10 generations to produce a strain with a faster kill rate. Parasitoid responses to extracts of hosts and host media were weak, and there was no measurable attraction to different fractions of those extracts. Accomplishments 01 Artificial sweeteners offer an alternative tool for fly control. Although their mode of action is not known, the artificial sweeteners xylitol and erythritol are toxic to several species of adult flies. In this study, an ARS researcher in Gainesville, Florida, and a colleague at Northern Illinois University evaluated the effect of these sweeteners on larvae of house flies and stable flies. Larvae of both species were more sensitive to erythritol than xylitol, and stable flies were more sensitive than house flies. Adult flies could not distinguish between untreated larval media and media treated with the sweeteners, and they readily laid eggs on both types. These sweeteners appear to have potential as an inexpensive way to control flies without using conventional insecticides. 02 Stable fly trap becomes an attract and kill device. Effective stable fly traps are sold commercially, but these traps require regular servicing to keep catching flies. This means maintaining service personnel and supplies needed to service the traps. An ARS researcher in Gainesville, Florida, selected a trap, surrounded it with a light frame and pesticide-treated fabric to determine how these items affected trap attraction. Holes were cut in the fabric to increase visual attraction. Flies attracted to the trap squeezed through the holes and died from increased exposure to the pesticide in the fabric. These devices will greatly reduce the number of trap service personnel and the time and supplies required. This will result in a significant savings for producers who use large-scale trapping systems as part of their stable fly management program. 03 House fly susceptibility to low-cost essential oils. House flies are resistant to every known fly control insecticide, so new fly control tools are a critical need. Essential oils of vetiver, cinnamon, lavender and sunflower were evaluated for insecticidal and repellent properties by an ARS researcher in Gainesville, Florida, and an Egyptian colleague. All oils caused 94-100% mortality of fly larvae and killed 100% of exposed adults. Vetiver and cinnamon oils repelled 84 and 78% of larvae, respectively, but not adult flies. Adults were repelled by neem oil and p-methane-3,8-diol (PMD). Based on efficacy and cost, cinnamon oil has the most potential for further development. It is classified by EPA as sufficiently safe, which precludes registration as a pesticide. Thus, new products containing this oil could be developed easily and with few regulatory challenges. 04 High temperatures give house flies an advantage over their natural enemies. House flies are a difficult to control but important pest of humans and animals. Fly control is conducted under hotter conditions because of climate changes. But most management strategies were designed for regions with moderate temperatures. Hot temperatures could affect the balance between the fly and wasp parasites that kill the fly in the pupal stage. An ARS researcher in Gainesville, Florida, and Israeli colleagues compared the heat tolerance of fly and wasp populations in the U.S. Only one wasp species, Muscidifurax zaraptor, was as heat-tolerant as the flies. Results show that M. zaraptor is the most effective wasp parasitite for fly control under hot conditions. More heat-tolerant wasp populations might be discovered with further exploration.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Hogsette, Jr, J.A. 2019. Turning ultraviolet light traps on and off increases their attraction to house flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Insect Science. 19(1):1-3.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J. 2018. Biological control with parasitoids. In: Garros, C., Bouyer, J., Takken, W. and Smallegange, R.C. editors. Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases in the Livestock Industry. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers. 5:611.
- Weeks, E.N., Machtinger, E.T., Leemon, D., Geden, C.J. 2018. Biological control of livestock pests: entomopathogens. In: Garros, C., Bouyer, J., Takken, W. and Smallegange, R.C. editors. Pests and Vector-Borne Diseases in the Livestock Industry. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers. 5:337-387.
- Biale, H., Chiel, E., Geden, C.J. 2019. Autodissemination of pyriproxifen as a method for controlling the house fly Musca domestica. Journal of Pest Science. 92(3):1283-1292.
- Sanscrainte, N.D., Waits, C.M., Geden, C.J., Estep, A.S., Becnel, J.J. 2018. Reproducible dsRNA microinjection and oviposition bioassay in mosquitoes and house flies. Journal of Visualized Experiments. (141) :e58650.
- Khater, H., Geden, C.J. 2018. Potential of essential oils to prevent fly strike and their effects on the longevity of adult Lucilia sericata. Journal of Vector Ecology. 43(2):261-270.
- Burgess, E.R., Geden, C.J. 2019. Larvicidal potential of the polyol sweeteners erythritol and xylitol in two filth fly species. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 44(1):11-17.
- Johnson, D.M., Weeks, E.N., Lovullo, E.D., Shirk, P.D., Geden, C.J. 2018. Mortality effects of three bacterial pathogens and Beauveria bassiana when topically applied or injected into house flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. 56(3):774-783.
- Tam, T.L., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Tenbroeck, S.H. 2019. Can attractive sticky traps be used to protect horses from the bites of Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Economic Entomology.
- Geden, C.J., Biale, H., Chiel, E., Johnson, D.M. 2019. Effect of fluctuating high temperatures on house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) and their principal parasitoids (Muscidifurax spp. and Spalangia spp. [Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae]) from the United States. Journal of Medical Entomology.
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Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Evaluate the effects of climate change on filth fly populations and their natural enemies. 1A. House fly management under high temperature conditions. 1B. Verify seasonality, resource preference and range of Stomoxys niger in East Africa. 2. Increase the efficiency of integrated pest management programs by the development and improvement of traps and behavior-altering surfaces and chemicals. 2A. Identify and develop stable fly optical or chemical attractants which will improve trap efficacy. 2B. Conceive of or develop applications for behavior-altering devices, surfaces and chemicals (e.g., attractants, repellents, and pesticides) for practical use on and around livestock and poultry. 3. Develop management techniques for fly larvae. 3A. Development of more effective larval detection and control techniques for filth flies. 3B. Autodissemination of Insect Growth Regulators (IGR�s) by house flies. 4. Improve biological control techniques for filth flies. 4A. Improved efficacy of Beauveria bassiana by formulating combination products with other agents. 4B. Location of host pupae by filth fly parasitoids. 4C. Improve the quality of commercially available fly parasitoids. Approach (from AD-416): Objective 1 will investigate and identify methods for management of house flies under the higher temperatures expected to occur with global warming. It will also use trapping data to determine risk of introduction of exotic Stomoxys spp. in the U.S. Objective 2 will develop chemical or optical attractants that will enable traps for stable flies to become more efficient and capture greater numbers of flies. It will also adapt behavior-altering devices, such as pesticide-impregnated fabrics, for different uses, such as attract and kill devices. Objective 3 will evaluate new methods for determining the presence of sub-surface immature fly populations in field habitats. It will also further develop methods to allow house flies to spread selected IGRs throughout their habitats. Ojective 4 will improve the efficacy of a biological control agent by formulating it with other selected lethal agents. It will also investigate the methods (e.g., chemical cues) used by parasitic wasps to locate fly pupae in field habitats. Finally, we will gain new knowledge on the effects of long-term colonization on the performance of parasitic wasps being released into the field. Work was completed on the effects of temperature effects on parasitoids. Work on the model remained problematic because of challenges working with legacy software. Optically attractive materials, including targets, were evaluated in lab and field tests against stable flies. Targets of blue, black, or blue and black cloth were highly attractive, but sticky traps placed adjacent to targets greatly underestimated the numbers of stable flies attracted by targets. Devices to physically capture flies without adhesives were evaluated and found to be ineffective in their preliminary form. Work has been delayed because a major cooperator has been assigned to another job position. Behavior-altering chemicals in fabrics for use around fly traps are being evaluated for their toxic qualities when fly contact is minimal. Results with preliminary tests are promising. Capture of headspace volatiles produced by fly larvae developing in selected laboratory media or substrates continues but the key cooperator no longer works at our laboratory. Efforts are being made to find a new cooperator who will be willing to continue the work. Results from field tests of pyriproxyfen autodissemination stations conducted on dairy farms in Nebraska and California indicated that flies in the field were reluctant to alight on the stations. Current and future work will shift away from the attractive stations towards releases of treated flies. Work on combining Beauveria bassiana with bacterial pathogens for adult fly control was completed. In a new direction for this sub-objective, the efficacy of B. bassiana was assessed against fly larvae. The GHA strain of this pathogen strain provided nearly 100% larval control when spores were added to larval media 24 hours after placement of eggs. Another new direction for this subobjective was the discovery that the �plant- protecting� bacteria Pseudomonas protegens was virulent for adult house flies, especially when injected. This pathogen was found to be highly virulent for stable fly larvae and moderately virulent for house fly larvae. Cell-free culture broth was as effective as broth containing live bacteria, strongly suggesting that exotoxins account for a substantial part of the virulence. Parasitoid responses to extracts of hosts and host media were weak, and there was no measurable attraction to different fractions of those extracts. Compatibility testing of competing fly parasitoids was completed; making collections of M. raptorellus from Chile was not feasible this year. Accomplishments 01 Virulence of the fungus Beauveria bassiana and three bacterial pathogens against adult house flies. Microbial house fly control has concentrated on the fungal pathogen Beauveria bassiana. ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida and researchers at University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, compared adult fly susceptibility to B. bassiana with the bacteria Photorhabdus temperata, Serratia marcescens, and Pseudomonas protegens. Bacteria killed flies faster than B. bassiana when injected. B. bassiana and P. protegens caused mortality when applied topically. An exotoxin may cause P. protegens mortality. P. protegens killed faster than B. bassiana but with a lower mortality rate. Results suggest that the two pathogens used together would provide better fly control than either of them alone. 02 Non-nutritive house fly bait using artificial sweeteners. The entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is an effective house fly bait when mixed with sugar. Because this bait takes several days to kill flies, and sugar tends to enable flies to live longer, there are mixed reactions to this bait. ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida and researchers at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, altered the bait by replacing sugar with the artificial sweeteners, xylitol and erythritol. The sweeteners, used in human foods, have little nutritional value. Flies fed avidly on the sweeteners which effectively delivered B. bassiana to kill flies. Thus fly longevity was not related to the bait. Results open new avenues for using B. bassiana. 03 Autodissemination of pyriproxifen as a method for house fly control. The insect-growth regulator, pyriproxyfen (PPF) prevents fly development past the pupal stage. ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida and researchers at University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, used flies to apply PPF to their egg-laying sites by exposing active-coated flies at different proportions in lab tests with animal manures. Just 10-20% of PPF-coated flies was enough to get 90% control levels in most U.S. manures. In Israel, mortality was low-medium in cow manure but in poultry manure 10% PPF-coated flies produced high mortality. Results confirm that autodissemination of PPF using the active coating concept may be practical depending on manure type and target population size. 04 The Knight Stick sticky fly trap surrounded by hot grass did not affect the numbers of flies captured. Knight Stick (KS) sticky fly traps surrounded by protective squares of electric fence placed close to animal hosts capture 6-9 X more stable flies. ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida and researchers at Smithsonian�s National Zoological Park (SNP), Washington, District of Columbia, evaluated other types of enclosure materials, namely hot grass, which conducts electric current but is practically invisible from a distance. Hot grass performed well and could be used instead of standard fencing wire with no reduction in effectiveness. This technology can be used by zoos, but also by beef and dairy cattle and equine industries.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Foil, L.D. 2018. Blue and black cloth targets: Effects of size, shape and color on stable fly (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) attraction. Journal of Economic Entomology. 111:974-979. doi:10.1093/jee/toy015.
- Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Ose, G.A. 2017. Improved capture of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) by placement of Knight Stick sticky fly traps protected by electric fence inside animal exhibit yards at the Smithsonian�s National Zoological Park. Journal of Zoo Biology. doi:10. 1002/zoo.21382.
- Kline, D.L., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Rutz, D.A. 2018. A comparison of the Nzi, Horse Pal and Bite-Lite H-traps and selected baits for the collection of adult Tabanidae in Florida and North Carolina. Journal of Vector Ecology. 43(1):63-70. doi:10.1111/jvec.12284.
- Hogsette, Jr, J.A. 2018. Evaluation of cyanarox insecticidal bait against stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. doi:10. 1093/jee/toy191.
- Johnson, D.M., Rizzo, E., Taylor, C.E., Geden, C.J. 2017. Effect of host decoys on the ability of the parasitoids Muscidifurax raptor and Spalangia cameroni to parasitize house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) puparia. Florida Entomologist. 100:444-448.
- Biale, H., Geden, C.J., Chiel, E. 2017. Effects of pyriproxifen on wild populations of the house fly, Musca domestica, and compatibility with its principal parasitoids. Pest Management Science. doi:10.1002/ps.4638/epdf.
- Sanscrainte, N.D., Arimoto, H., Waits, C.M., Li, L.Y., Johnson, D.M., Geden, C.J., Becnel, J.J., Estep, A.S. 2018. Reduction in Musca domestica fecundity by dsRNA-mediated gene knockdown. PLoS One. 13(1):e0187353. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0187353.
- Burgess, E.R., Geden, C.J., Johnson, D.M. 2018. House Fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), mortality after exposure to combinations of Beauveria bassiana with the artificial sweeteners erythritol and xylitol. Journal of Medical Entomology. doi:10.1093/jme/tjy083.
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Evaluate the effects of climate change on filth fly populations and their natural enemies. 1A. House fly management under high temperature conditions. 1B. Verify seasonality, resource preference and range of Stomoxys niger in East Africa. 2. Increase the efficiency of integrated pest management programs by the development and improvement of traps and behavior-altering surfaces and chemicals. 2A. Identify and develop stable fly optical or chemical attractants which will improve trap efficacy. 2B. Conceive of or develop applications for behavior-altering devices, surfaces and chemicals (e.g., attractants, repellents, and pesticides) for practical use on and around livestock and poultry. 3. Develop management techniques for fly larvae. 3A. Development of more effective larval detection and control techniques for filth flies. 3B. Autodissemination of Insect Growth Regulators (IGR�s) by house flies. 4. Improve biological control techniques for filth flies. 4A. Improved efficacy of Beauveria bassiana by formulating combination products with other agents. 4B. Location of host pupae by filth fly parasitoids. 4C. Improve the quality of commercially available fly parasitoids. Approach (from AD-416): Objective 1 will investigate and identify methods for management of house flies under the higher temperatures expected to occur with global warming. It will also use trapping data to determine risk of introduction of exotic Stomoxys spp. in the U.S. Objective 2 will develop chemical or optical attractants that will enable traps for stable flies to become more efficient and capture greater numbers of flies. It will also adapt behavior-altering devices, such as pesticide-impregnated fabrics, for different uses, such as attract and kill devices. Objective 3 will evaluate new methods for determining the presence of sub-surface immature fly populations in field habitats. It will also further develop methods to allow house flies to spread selected IGRs throughout their habitats. Ojective 4 will improve the efficacy of a biological control agent by formulating it with other selected lethal agents. It will also investigate the methods (e.g., chemical cues) used by parasitic wasps to locate fly pupae in field habitats. Finally, we will gain new knowledge on the effects of long-term colonization on the performance of parasitic wasps being released into the field. After 20 generations of selection for heat tolerance in wild house flies, selected flies had significantly higher tolerance for high temperatures than unselected flies. Initial results on selection with the parasitoids Muscidifurax raptor and Spalangia (S.) cameroni indicate that the parasitoids are much less adaptable to changing temperature conditions than the flies. Reciprocal crosses were made of 4 geographic strains of S. cameroni to produce a super-heterotic strain that is being tested for efficacy and heat tolerance. Contact has been maintained with the cooperator for the stable fly project in Kenya. State Department travel restrictions to Kenya were lifted in January, 2017, but after 36 months into the project it was decided that increased efforts in other project subobjectives might produce more tangible results, based on the intermittent unrest in Kenya. Optically attractive materials lab and field tested against stable flies and traps are being evaluated for optimum placement to allow significantly more flies to be captured. Behavior-altering chemicals for application to fly resting sites are being evaluated for their repellent or attractive qualities. Devices to physically capture flies without adhesives flies are in the primary stages of evaluation. Capture of headspace volatiles produced by fly larvae developing in selected laboratory media or substrates is underway after the evaluation of selected capture methods. The final method will allow for the capture of chemicals without changing the behavior or activity of the larvae within the substrate. Field and large outdoor cage studies with an improved pyriproxyfen (PPF) autodissemination device for house flies resulted in significant but small degrees of fly control in the vicinity of the devices. Flies are reluctant to alight or walk on PPF- treated surfaces. A comparison of PPF performance in different fly breeding substrates also revealed that PPF was 60X less effective in dairy manure than in the wheat bran diet used in lab assays. Experiments demonstrated that only 25% of the flies in an area need to be treated with PPF to achieve >85% control. Screening of potential carriers for Beauveria (B.) bassiana and 3 bacterial pathogens (Serratia marscens, Pseudomomans protegens and Photorhabdus temperate) revealed that the spreader-sticker CapSil was most effective for pathogen survival and spreadablity on the fly cuticle. B. bassiana was largely compatible with the bacterial pathogens, and exotoxins produced by P. protegens were surprisingly toxic to flies. New bait formulations were evaluated for B. bassiana, and combinations of fungal spores with the sugar alcohols xylitol and erythritol provided superior fly mortality without providing with flies with any nutrition during visits to the baits. Accomplishments 01 The Knight Stick sticky fly trap catches more stable flies when placed close to host animals. The Knight Stick (KS) sticky fly trap has been shown to be highly effective for attracting and catching stable flies. However placement of traps where they will produce the best results can be difficult. At the Smithsonian�s National Zoo (SNZ) approval was given to place KS traps inside selected animal exhibits and protect them with electric fence. For comparison, equal numbers of KS traps were placed around exhibit perimeters. During a 21-wk study, ARS scientists in Gainesville, Florida, and SNZ researchers found that traps inside exhibits captured 6-9 times more stable flies than traps placed along exhibit perimeters. The increased numbers of flies captured should provide relief and greatly improve animal health and welfare. We believe this is the first study where traps were used to capture stable flies in zoological exhibit yards. A publication has been submitted. 02 Toxic cloth target attract-and-kill device eliminate more stable flies than expected. Flat 1-m2 cloth targets can be effective for stable fly management, but numbers of flies killed are difficult to determine in the field because dead flies flutter to the ground and are lost. For research purposes, targets paired with sticky traps cause traps to catch more flies than they would catch by themselves. This indicates target efficacy but not fly numbers killed. By putting targets between 2 electric grids, ARS researchers in Gainesville, Florida, and their cooperators at Louisiana State University found that flies attracted by targets and killed by the grids could be counted. When targets in grids were paired with traps, traps attracted only 28% of the flies. A publication is in preparation. 03 Commercial microbial control products vary widely in effectiveness against flies. Naturally occurring fungi, primarily Beauveria (B.) bassiana and Metarhizium (M.) anisopliae, can be effective for management of house flies and stable flies. However little is known about how efficacy may be altered by commercial formulation. ARS researchers in Gainesville, Florida, and North Carolina State University colleagues evaluated four commercially available B. bassiana or M. anisopliae products for their ability to kill flies and produce spores that could infect other flies. Three products, BotaniGard� ES, Mycotrol� O, and Met52�, caused high fly mortality and produced a second generation of spores from the cadavers of infected flies. A fourth product, balEnce�, produced low mortality and spore formation. Results confirm that commercial formulation can have a substantial effect on the efficacy of microbial biocontrol agents. 04 Spalangia cameroni for fly control on horse farms. Previous research has shown that some parasitic wasps (parasitoids) are able to learn from their environment after emergence as adults. However, it was unknown whether the two common pupal parasitoids, Spalangia (S.) cameroni and Muscidifurax (M.) raptor, could change habitat preferences for searching for pupae to parasitize based on their postemergence experience. In this study, ARS researchers in Gainesville, Florida, and University of Florida colleagues exposed emerging S. cameroni and M. raptor adults to host fly pupae in horse and cattle manures and to fly pupae not associated with manure. They were then tested for manure preferences. The results showed that horse manure is highly attractive to S. cameroni but repellent to M. raptor. We recommend that only S. cameroni or species mixtures with a high proportion of this species be used for fly control on horse farms. 05 A better way to release parasitoids for fly control. Parasitic wasps that kill flies in the pupal stage can be an effective alternative for fly management. Wasps still inside fly pupae are shipped by commercial insectaries. These parasitized pupae can be scattered over fly breeding areas or placed in sheltered release stations. A concern about the scatter method is that the emerged wasps might waste too much time examining and rejecting the empty pupal cases from which they emerged rather than finding and killing live fly pupae. In this study, ARS researchers in Gainesville, Florida, tested two wasp species, Muscidifurax raptor and Spalangia cameroni, to determine how easily they found live fly pupae mixed among empty pupal cases from which wasps had already emerged (�duds�). One species was unaffected by the presence of duds and the other was only slightly affected when duds made up 90% of the population. Results support the recommendation to use the scatter method when releasing the wasps for fly control.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Machtinger, E.T., Weeks, E.N., Geden, C.J. 2016. Oviposition deterrence and immature survival if filth flies (Diptera: Muscidae) when exposed to commercial fungal products. Journal of Insect Science. doi:10.1093/jisesa/ iew032.
- Weeks, E.N., Machtinger, E.T., Gezan, S.A., Kaufman, P.E., Geden, C.J. 2016. Effect of four commercial fungal formulations on mortality and sporulation of house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans). Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 31:15�22.
- Taylor, C.E., Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J. 2016. Manure preferences and postemergence learning of two filth fly parasitoids, Spalangia cameroni and Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). PLoS One. 11(12) :e0167893.
- Machtinger, E.T., Weeks, E.N., Geden, C.J., Kaufman, P.E. 2016. House fly (Musca domestica) (Diptera: Muscidae) mortality after exposure to commercial fungal formulations in a sugar bait. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 31:15�22.
- Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Kline, D.L. 2017. The knight stick trap and knight stick sticky wraps: new tools for stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) management. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi:10.1093/jee/tox042.
- Holderman, C.J., Wood, L.A., Geden, C.J., Kaufman, P.A. 2017. Discovery, development, and evaluation of a horn fly-isolated (Diptera: Muscidae) Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordyciptaceae) strain from Florida, U.S. A. Journal of Insect Science. 17(2):51:1-6.
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Evaluate the effects of climate change on filth fly populations and their natural enemies. 1A. House fly management under high temperature conditions. 1B. Verify seasonality, resource preference and range of Stomoxys niger in East Africa. 2. Increase the efficiency of integrated pest management programs by the development and improvement of traps and behavior-altering surfaces and chemicals. 2A. Identify and develop stable fly optical or chemical attractants which will improve trap efficacy. 2B. Conceive of or develop applications for behavior-altering devices, surfaces and chemicals (e.g., attractants, repellents, and pesticides) for practical use on and around livestock and poultry. 3. Develop management techniques for fly larvae. 3A. Development of more effective larval detection and control techniques for filth flies. 3B. Autodissemination of Insect Growth Regulators (IGR�s) by house flies. 4. Improve biological control techniques for filth flies. 4A. Improved efficacy of Beauveria bassiana by formulating combination products with other agents. 4B. Location of host pupae by filth fly parasitoids. 4C. Improve the quality of commercially available fly parasitoids. Approach (from AD-416): Objective 1 will investigate and identify methods for management of house flies under the higher temperatures expected to occur with global warming. It will also use trapping data to determine risk of introduction of exotic Stomoxys spp. in the U.S. Objective 2 will develop chemical or optical attractants that will enable traps for stable flies to become more efficient and capture greater numbers of flies. It will also adapt behavior-altering devices, such as pesticide-impregnated fabrics, for different uses, such as attract and kill devices. Objective 3 will evaluate new methods for determining the presence of sub-surface immature fly populations in field habitats. It will also further develop methods to allow house flies to spread selected IGRs throughout their habitats. Ojective 4 will improve the efficacy of a biological control agent by formulating it with other selected lethal agents. It will also investigate the methods (e.g., chemical cues) used by parasitic wasps to locate fly pupae in field habitats. Finally, we will gain new knowledge on the effects of long-term colonization on the performance of parasitic wasps being released into the field. During the second year of this project, house flies and four species of parasitoids from Florida, Nebraska, Minnesota, and California were assessed for heat tolerance. Muscidifurax (M.) zaraptor was the most heat tolerant, followed by M. raptor, Spalangia (S.) endius, and S. cameroni. Flies and parasitoids collected from different states were mostly similar in their heat tolerance except that Minnesota flies were less heat tolerant than the other fly strains. Fifteen generations of selection under high temperatures resulted in house flies with significantly higher heat tolerance. Contact has been maintained with the cooperator for the stable fly project in Kenya. State Department travel restrictions to Kenya have been eased and visits may be allowed in the upcoming year. New materials that are optically attractive to stable flies have been identified and evaluated in the laboratory and the field. These allow for the capture of significantly more flies on traps. Behavior-altering devices for application to fly resting site have been identified. These devices either repel the flies or capture them on the surface. Dose- response studies indicated that pyriproxyfen had no effect on Spalangia endius or S. cameroni at any dose. Muscidifurax raptor and M. zaraptor were somewhat susceptible, with LC50�s of ca. 0.01% PPF. The LC50 for house flies was <0.0001%. A new design for a PPF autodissemination station was tested in the field using three attractants; 25% molasses was the most effective attractant, followed by Farnam fly attractant and Zumbafly. Strains of Beauveria bassiana and Serratia marcescens were screened for activity against house fly adults, and preliminary testing was done using a variety of carriers to identify carriers that provide good coverage on fly cuticle while maintaining viability of the pathogens. Capture of headspace volatiles produced by fly larvae developing in selected laboratory media or substrates is underway after the evaluation of selected capture methods. The current method will allow capture of chemical without changing the behavior or activity of the larvae within the substrate. Accomplishments 01 A sticky trap component is found to be inherently attractive to stable flies. The Knight Stick (KS) Fly Trap consists of a vertically oriented cylindrical resonating chamber covered by a thin, adhesive- coated KS foam wrap that captured 3 to 5 times more stable flies than devices currently in use. In competitive studies with other commercially available traps, ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida, found the KS wrap alone was very attractive to stable flies. When wrapped around non-attractant items, e.g., propane tanks, barrels, the KS wrap performed similarly to KS wraps applied to the resonating chamber of the KS trap. This finding increases the versatility of the KS wrap because it is not limited to use on the KS trap. The KS trap is a very effective tool for stable fly management around cattle, and the KS wrap alone can be used in locations unsuitable for trap placement. The KS trap and KS wraps greatly impact animal welfare by significantly reducing fly feeding on animals A publication has been submitted. 02 Change in shape and size render fly attract and kill device easier to use in field conditions. Flat 1-m2 cloth targets have been found to be effective for stable fly management around cattle, but the flat configuration is not resistant to winds typically found in the Great Plains states where cattle are concentrated. ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida, changed target configuration from flat to cylindrical and reduced size from 1 m high to 30 cm high without affecting efficacy. Smaller cylindrical configuration makes targets easier to handle and deploy in the field. Smaller size means targets can be placed closer to cattle where they are most effective. Smaller size also means effective stable fly management with less cost to cattle producers. Targets will increase animal welfare by assisting in fly management in difficult to treat areas. 03 Stable fly identified as a major urban pest in zoological parks. In the process of identifying and developing stable fly optical and chemical attractants, it was discovered that stable flies are a major pest species in zoological parks in many U.S. cities. Adults arrive from unknown sources and cause irritation to zoo animals by their painful bites. Because of pesticide sensitivities associated with zoological parks, ARS researchers at Gainesville, Florida, have worked with zoo personnel to develop stable fly integrated pest management (IPM) programs based on pesticide-free interventions, such as sticky traps and fans. A pesticide- treated fabric, considered a focused use of pesticides, has been used at selected locations. By modifying these programs to best fit local conditions, zoo personnel have improved animal health and welfare by reducing stable fly populations by 50% or more. 04 House flies and stable flies are important pests associated with animals and humans and transmit a wide array of disease organisms. Biological control is an important element in successful fly management, and naturally occurring fungi can kill these flies. But little is known about how fungi, primarily Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, affect immature fly development and egg laying by house and stable flies. In this study, conducted by scientists at USDA�s Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida and the University of Florida, five commercially available products containing B. bassiana or M. anisopliae were tested for sublethal effects. House flies and stable flies laid very few eggs on surfaces treated with the M. anisopliae product. Stable flies also did not lay many eggs on the organic B. bassiana product. Immature house flies had greater mortality after hatching on surfaces treated with M. anisopliae. These results demonstrate that commercial products, primarily the one with M. anisopliae, can be used to deter egg laying by flies as well as killing the fly larvae that hatch from the eggs. 05 Insect production over many years can lead to an inferior product, yet commercial insectaries produce and sell fly parasitoids to farmers and ranchers for fly control. How good is the quality of the parasitoids available for fly control? In this study, scientists at USDA�s Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida and the University of Florida examined the effects of long colonization on a species of wasp that is commonly sold for fly control, Spalangia cameroni. Long-colonized wasps were less effective than newly colonized parasitoids at finding and killing fly pupae, especially when they had to search for pupae under simulated natural conditions. The results indicate that researchers and commercial wasp producers should start with fresh colonies every few years to ensure production of high quality insects for use in research and fly control. 06 High temperatures present new challenges for house fly management. Most of the available information on the efficacy of biocontrol agents for house fly control has been obtained from temperate climates such as found in North Carolina, California, and New York. Climate change predictions indicate that future fly management may be conducted under temperature conditions that historically would have been considered extreme. How do fly parasitoids (biocontrol agents) perform under very hot conditions? Using experimental conditions simulating July conditions in cool, moderate, and very hot locations in the U.S., ARS researchers at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida found that hot conditions greatly reduced the effectiveness of all species of parasitoids and that flies are intrinsically much more heat tolerant than their natural enemies. Surprisingly, flies from moderate-temperature locations such as Minnesota and Nebraska were similar in their heat tolerance to flies from Florida and the Mojave Desert. Rising temperatures would likely result in substantially higher fly populations unless new management strategies are devised.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Davis, T.J., Kaufman, P.E., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Kline, D.L. 2015. The effects of larval habitat quality on Aedes albopictus skip oviposition. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 31(4):321-328.
- Davis, T.J., Kaufman, P.E., Tatem, A.J., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Kline, D.L. 2016. Development and evaluation of an attractive self-marking ovitrap to measure dispersal and determine skip oviposition in Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera:Culicidae) field populations. Journal of Medical Entomology. 53(1):31-38.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J., Kaufman, P.E., House, A.M. 2015. Use of pupal parasitoids as biological control agents of filth flies on equine facilities. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 6:1-10.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J. 2015. Comparison of the Olfactory Preferences of Four Species of Filth Fly Pupal Parasitoid Species (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for Hosts in Equine and Bovine Manure. Environmental Entomology. pgs 1-8. doi: 10.1093/ee/nvv120.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J., Lovullo, E.D., Shirk, P.D. 2015. Impacts of extended laboratory rearing on female fitness in Florida colonies of the parasitoid spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) with an analysis of wolbachia strains. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 109(2):176-182.
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Evaluate the effects of climate change on filth fly populations and their natural enemies. 1A. House fly management under high temperature conditions. 1B. Verify seasonality, resource preference and range of Stomoxys niger in East Africa. 2. Increase the efficiency of integrated pest management programs by the development and improvement of traps and behavior-altering surfaces and chemicals. 2A. Identify and develop stable fly optical or chemical attractants which will improve trap efficacy. 2B. Conceive of or develop applications for behavior-altering devices, surfaces and chemicals (e.g., attractants, repellents, and pesticides) for practical use on and around livestock and poultry. 3. Develop management techniques for fly larvae. 3A. Development of more effective larval detection and control techniques for filth flies. 3B. Autodissemination of Insect Growth Regulators (IGR�s) by house flies. 4. Improve biological control techniques for filth flies. 4A. Improved efficacy of Beauveria bassiana by formulating combination products with other agents. 4B. Location of host pupae by filth fly parasitoids. 4C. Improve the quality of commercially available fly parasitoids. Approach (from AD-416): Objective 1 will investigate and identify methods for management of house flies under the higher temperatures expected to occur with global warming. It will also use trapping data to determine risk of introduction of exotic Stomoxys spp. in the U.S. Objective 2 will develop chemical or optical attractants that will enable traps for stable flies to become more efficient and capture greater numbers of flies. It will also adapt behavior-altering devices, such as pesticide-impregnated fabrics, for different uses, such as attract and kill devices. Objective 3 will evaluate new methods for determining the presence of sub-surface immature fly populations in field habitats. It will also further develop methods to allow house flies to spread selected IGRs throughout their habitats. Ojective 4 will improve the efficacy of a biological control agent by formulating it with other selected lethal agents. It will also investigate the methods (e.g., chemical cues) used by parasitic wasps to locate fly pupae in field habitats. Finally, we will gain new knowledge on the effects of long-term colonization on the performance of parasitic wasps being released into the field. During the first year of this project, house flies and 8 species of parasitoids were collected from dairy farms in Florida, Nebraska, and California. Colonies were established and house fly responses to the insecticides imidacloprod and cyfluthrin were evaluated under three temperature regimes: hot, cool, and moderate. Resistance to imidacloprid was high in all three regimes, but efficacy was much higher under hot than cool conditions. In contrast, cyfluthrin mortality was substantially higher under cool test conditions. Fly parasitoids were adversely affected by high temperatures and killed only about 1/3 as many fly pupae as they did under moderate conditions. Contact has been maintained with the cooperator for the stable fly project in Kenya, but State Department restrictions prohibit travel to Kenya at this time. Thus, project planning and site visits cannot be made. Literature on Stomoxys niger is being collected. Spectral reflectance of materials used on traps and selected replacement materials has been determined with a spectrometer in the laboratory. These spectral curves will be compared with those recorded under field conditions. Preliminary results indicate that pyrproxyfen (PPF) is compatible with house fly parasitoids at the doses that would be expected using autodisseminaton methods. In field tests of a prototype autodissemination device, visitation to the devices was low, suggesting that flies were able to detect and avoid landing on the PPF- treated surface. Olfactometer tests demonstrated that the fly parasitoid Spalangia cameroni was attracted to larvae but not pupae of house flies, but only when they were in animal manure. In contrast, Muscidifurax raptor was attracted to pupae with or without manure odors. In competition tests between two commercially available parasitoids (M. raptor and M. raptorellus), M. raptor was usually the victor but the outcome was affected by whether one of the competitors was given a head start. Accomplishments 01 South American fly parasitoid competes poorly with native species. During the past decades, commercial insectaries have added the fly parasitoid Muscidifurax raptorellus to their grow operations and products lines. This South American wasp, introduced into the U.S. in the 1960�s, is an appealing species for commercial production because each parasitized host (fly pupa) produces several wasps instead a single parasitoid. But is it compatible with other species that are used for fly control? ARS researchers at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL conducted competition experiments to examine the outcome of combining this species with Muscidufurax raptor, a native species with a long history of successful fly suppression. The results showed that M. raptorellus fares poorly when it has to compete with the ubiquitous and native M. raptor, and that M. raptor is a more appropriate and effective species for fly control. 02 An introduced exotic fly parasitoid is now established in the U.S. The fly parasitoid Tachinaephagus zealandicus was imported from New Zealand and released in California for house fly management in 1967. The releases were considered a failure at the time because almost no T. zealandicus were recovered near the release site. But was the release really a failure? ARS researchers at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL set out to determine whether this species was present in the Eastern U.S. nearly 50 years after its release in California. An extensive survey showed that T. zealandicus was present in every state that was sampled, representing new records for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, and New York. The results demonstrate that this species is successfully and widely established in the U.S., although its impact on the target house fly is uncertain. 03 High temperatures present new challenges for house fly management. Most of the available information on the efficacy of insecticides and biocontrol agents for house fly control has been obtained from temperate climates as found in North Carolina, California, and New York. Climate change predictions indicate that future fly management may be conducted under temperature conditions that historically would have been considered extreme. How do insecticides and fly parasitoids (biocontrol agents) perform under very hot conditions? Using experimental conditions simulating July conditions in cool, moderate, and very hot locations in the U.S., ARS researchers at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL found that hot conditions greatly reduced the effectiveness of cyfluthrin and parasitoids. The results suggest that rising temperatures would likely result in substantially higher fly populations unless new management strategies are devised.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Zayed, A., Hoel, D.F., El-Wafa, R.A., Tageldin, R.A., Furman, B.D., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Bernier, U.R. 2013. Efficacy and duration of three residual insecticides on cotton duck and vinyl tent surfaces for control of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae). Army Medical Department Journal. 2013(1-1):66-72.
- Muller, G.C., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Kline, D.L., Beier, J.C., Revay, E.E., Xue, R. 2015. Response of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi to visual, physical and chemical attraction features in the field. Acta Tropica. 141:32-36.
- Barba, M., Stewart, A.J., Passler, T., Wooldridge, A.A., Van Santen, E., Chamorro, M.F., Cattley, R.C., Hathcock, T., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Hu, X.P. 2015. Experimental transmission of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi in horses by house flies. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. 29:636-643.
- Barba, M., Stewart, A.J., Passler, T., Hathcock, T., Wooldridge, A.A., Van Santen, E., Chamorro, M.F., Cattley, R.C., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Hu, X. 2015. Experimental inoculation of house flies Musca domestica with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis serovar equi. Bulletin of Insectology. 68(1):39-44.
- Swiger, S.L., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Butler, J.F. 2014. Laboratory colonization of the blow flies, Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 107(5):1780-1784.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J., Teal, P.E., Leppla, C. 2015. Comparison of host-seeking behavior of the filth fly pupal parasitoids, Spalangia cameroni and Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Environmental Entomology. 44(2):330-337.
- Geden, C.J., Johnson, D.M., Kaufman, P.E., Boohene, C.K. 2014. Competition between the filth fly parasitoids Muscidifurax raptor and M. raptorellus (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Journal of Vector Ecology. 39(2):278-287.
- Geden, C.J., Skovgard, H. 2014. Status of tachinaephagus zealandicus (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae), a larval parasitoid of muscoid flies, in the U.S. and Denmark. Journal of Vector Ecology. 39(2):453-456.
- Machtinger, E.T., Geden, C.J., Leppla, N.C. 2015. Linear dispersal of the filth fly parasitoid spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and parasitism of hosts at increasing distances. PLoS One. doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0129105.
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