Biological control of house flies Musca domestica and stable flies Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) by means of inundative releases of Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) (original) (raw)
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Neotropical Entomology, 2010
, house fl y and stable fl y pupae were collected weekly from three fl y habitats at the University of Florida Research dairy in northcentral Florida and evaluated for parasitism. Varying parasitism percentages were observed throughout the study but they were not affected by temperature, precipitation or fl y abundance. Of the 6,222 house fl y pupae and 1,660 stable fl y pupae that produced either a host fl y or a parasitoid, 26.9% and 26.7% were parasitized, respectively. Ten parasitoid species were recovered, with the genus Spalangia accounting for 85.7% of the total; the most common parasitoids attacking house fl y and stable fl y pupae were Spalangia endius Walker (33.9% and 27.3%), S. cameroni Perkins (27.9% and 40.6%), and S. nigroaenea Curtis (21.0% and 24.8%), respectively. Other parasitoids included one specimen of S. erythromera Förster and four specimens of Phygadeuon fumator Gravenhörst (Ichneumonidae). The percentage parasitism of pupae collected from bunker silos was higher than that of pupae from calf pens and open pastures. Spalangia cameroni was consistently recovered through the entire year.
The Canadian Entomologist, 1999
In 1995,Nasonia vitripennis(Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a commercially available pupal parasitoid of the house fly,Musca domesticaL., and stable fly,Stomoxys calcitrans(L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), was purchased to examine the status of wasps being sold to Manitoba producers. Percentage of pupae parasitized, numbers of parasitoids per pupa, total parasitoids, and parasitoid sex ratio were determined for each shipment of parasitoids received. To determine the extent to which these wasps could successfully parasitize house flies and stable flies, parasitoids were released weekly in four Manitoba dairy barns and levels of parasitism estimated. In 10 622 freeze-killed sentinel house fly pupae, 2.2% were parasitized throughout the season byN.vitripennis, and 5.8% were parasitized by eight other species of parasitoids. Of 11 897 naturally occurring house fly and stable fly pupae, 0.6% were parasitized byN.vitripennis, and 3.4% by eight other species of parasitoids. In four barns wher...
Environmental Entomology, 2006
Weekly releases of Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan and Legner and Spalangia cameroni Perkins were made for 12 wk after house cleanouts in Florida pullet houses in either spring/summer (MayÐAugust) or fall (SeptemberÐDecember). Releases were made by weekly placement of 62,500 and 85,000 pupae parasitized by M. raptorellus and S. cameroni, respectively, which produced an average of 79,049 and 32,841 adult female parasitoids per week. House ßy (Musca domestica L.) pupal mortality, as measured by sentinel pupae, was about twice as high in the release house (40.2%) as in the two control houses (21.5 and 21.8%) in the summer release. Pupal mortality in the fall was three to four times higher in the release house (45.6%) as in the two control houses (13.6 and 8.4%). Although successful parasitism of sentinel pupae was only Ϸ8.4% in the release houses in both studies, parasitism was signiÞcantly higher than the control houses in both summer (3.9 and 1.7%) and fall (0.0 and 0.8%) releases. Fly populations were high in both studies but signiÞcantly lower in the release houses than the controls in both summer (361.5 versus 450.3 and 584.4 spots/spot card/wk) and fall (477.1 versus 971.4 and 851.8 spots/card/wk) releases. An average of 4.8 M. raptorellus emerged from each pupa parasitized by this species, with parasite loads ranging from 1 (8.6%) to 17 (0.07%) adults emerged per parasitized pupa.
Release of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) as biological control agents for house flies and stable flies in livestock confinements has had variable success. In part, this may reflect a lack of knowledge regarding the optimal distance to be used between parasitoid release stations. In the current study, we assessed the effect of linear distance on host parasitism by the wasp Spalangia cameroni Perkins. In open fields at distances ranging from 1 m to 60 m from a central point, house fly puparia were placed in a mixture of pine shavings soiled with equine manure, urine, and alfalfa hay. Releases of S. cameroni then were made using a 5:1 host: parasitoid ratio. Host pupae were parasitized at all distances, with the highest rate of total parasitism (68.9%) recorded 5 m from the release site. Analyses of results using non-linear and linear models suggest that S. cameroni should be released in close proximity to host development areas. Additionally, releases may not be suitable in pasture situations where long-distance flight is required for control. However, further testing is needed to examine the effect of density-dependent dispersal and diffusion of S. cameroni.
Journal of Medical Entomology, 2019
Colonies of house flies (Musca domestica L. [Diptera: Muscidae]) and four species of parasitoids (Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner, Spalangia cameroni Perkins and Spalangia endius Walker) were established by making collections from dairy farms near Bell, FL, Beatrice, NE, Minneapolis, MN, and San Jacinto, CA. Colonies were assessed for heat tolerance by comparing life history parameters at 25–27°C and fluctuating hot (26.7–41.7°C) temperatures. Muscidifurax raptor, S. cameroni, and S. endius produced 24–28% as many progeny under hot conditions as at 25°C. Colonies of M. zaraptor were more heat-tolerant and produced an average 46.9% as many progeny under the hot regime compared with moderate conditions. There was little evidence for higher heat tolerance in parasitoid populations from historically hot locations (CA desert and FL). Colonies of M. raptor and S. endius that had been in culture for 24 yr were the least heat-tolerant with reg...
Environmental Entomology, 2015
We investigated the effect of mutual interference on the attack efficiency and the rate of successful parasitism on the parasitoid Spalangia cameroni (Perkins) attacking pupae of the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L.). Female parasitoids (2, 4, 8, 16, or 32) were exposed to 100 fly pupae during 24 h. The number of pupae that were attacked and the number successfully parasitized increased with the parasitoid density and reached a maximum of 70and50,respectively.Parasitoid−inducedmortality(PIM)wasabout20pupae,irrespectiveofparasitoiddensity.Thepercapitaratesofattack,successfulparasitismandparasitoid−inducedmortalitydeclinedmonotonouslywithparasitoiddensity.Progenysexratiowasfemalebiasedforallparasitoiddensities,butdeclinedsignificantlywithincreasingparasitoiddensityfrom70 and 50, respectively. Parasitoid-induced mortality (PIM) was about 20 pupae, irrespective of parasitoid density. The per capita rates of attack, successful parasitism and parasitoid-induced mortality declined monotonously with parasitoid density. Progeny sex ratio was female biased for all parasitoid densities, but declined significantly with increasing parasitoid density from 70and50,respectively.Parasitoid−inducedmortality(PIM)wasabout20pupae,irrespectiveofparasitoiddensity.Thepercapitaratesofattack,successfulparasitismandparasitoid−inducedmortalitydeclinedmonotonouslywithparasitoiddensity.Progenysexratiowasfemalebiasedforallparasitoiddensities,butdeclinedsignificantlywithincreasingparasitoiddensityfrom70% females at the lowest density to $60% at the highest. Mutual interference was incorporated into a functional response model to predict the attack rate and the rate of successful parasitism at different temperatures, host densities and parasitoid densities. The model explained 93.5% of the variation in the observed number of attacked pupae and 91.5% of the variation in the number of successfully parasitized pupae. The model predicts that increasing parasitoid densities will increase the percentage of killed hosts, but only up to a certain density. Above this density, a further increase in parasitoid abundance will actually lead to a decline in the percentage parasitism. These findings may have some implications for using S. cameroni in biological control against flies using inundative releases.
2007
Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner, M. raptorellus Kogan and Legner, and Spalangia cameroni Perkins were released bi-weekly in two facilities at a broiler-breeder egg production farm in Arkansas during 2003 and. Of the recovered house fly, Musca domestica L., sentinel pupae, 18.8% were parasitized in 2003, with M. zaraptor being the dominant species (66.8%) and M. raptorellus contributing 6.9% of the parasitism. The release of M. raptorellus did not result in substantial parasitism in sentinel house fly pupae until the second year of study when M. raptorellus was the most dominant species, contributing approximately 61.9% parasitism. At the non-release farm, 13.9% of the sentinel house fly pupae were parasitized, with S. cameroni and M. zaraptor dominating in 2003. Parasitism at the control farm decreased to 3.4% in 2004. It appeared that sustained releases of parasitoids at the release farm over two years provided a significant increase in house fly pupal parasitism when compared to the percentage of pupae parasitized at the non-release farm. Of the sentinel Hydrotaea aenescens (Wiedemann) pupae recovered from the release farm, 9.3% were parasitized in 2003. Filth fly data indicated that the combined predator activity of H. aenescens and sustained parasitoid releases reduced M. domestica to a level well below the treatment threshold. In addition, the sustained release of parasitoids reduced H. aenescens numbers to below the treatment threshold of 100 filth flies per sticky ribbon per week by 9 wk during the latter part of the filth fly season during 2003 and 2004.
Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 1989
Saunders and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) were released weekly for 7 weeks at a commercial dairy farm in central New York state, U.S.A. Dispersal behaviour was monitored by parasitism rates of house fly, Muscu domesticu L., pupae placed in sentinel bags. 2. M.ruptor, which was released inside the barn, parasitized fly pupae both inside and outside, and it achieved highest rates of parasitism in indoor straw calf-bedding and in outdoor manure and silage. 3. U.rufipes, which was released outside the barn, did not attack pupae inside the barn, and its highest rates of parasitism occurred in outdoor manure and silage. 4. M. ruptor appeared to be more effective than U. rufipes in parasitizing pupae located at sites where natural fly-breeding occurred. 5. Interspecific competition did not appear to explain these distribution patterns. 6. There was no significant trend in parasitism by M.raptor as a function of distance from the release station. Furthermore, high rates of parasitism near open doorways and at an outdoor site 30 m away suggests that M. ruptor dispersed throughout the barn and its immediate surroundings. 7. Air temperature was positively correlated to flight activity, but not to parasitization activity in natural fly-breeding substrates.