Location: Mosquito and Fly Research
Project Number: 6036-32000-053-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Oct 1, 2019
End Date: Sep 30, 2024
Objective:
1. Develop strategies and technologies for more accurate and efficient surveillance and monitoring of adult stable flies.
1.A. Evaluation of commercially available stable fly traps from outside of the U.S.
1.B. Improved monitoring tools for long-range surveillance of stable flies.
2. Develop strategies and technologies for more accurate and efficient surveillance and monitoring of house flies.
3. Develop novel strategies and new products that lead to improved control and management of adult stable flies.
3.A. Development of trap-based management systems for stable flies.
3.B. Development of attract and kill devices for stable flies.
4. Develop novel strategies and new products that lead to improved control and management of house flies.
4.A. Effect of gut microbiome on fly fitness.
4.B. Beauveria bassiana for adult fly management.
4.C. Development of Tachinaephagus zealandicus as a biological larvicide.
Approach:
Objective 1 will evaluate commercially available stable fly traps from outside of the US to determine which ones perform best in the US (Hypothesis 1.A. Commercially available stable fly traps from other countries could be valuable for improving US surveillance and trapping programs). It will also improve monitoring tools used for long-range surveillance of stable fly populations (Hypothesis 1.B. Improved monitoring tools will allow for surveillance of stable fly populations with minimal maintenance and servicing).
Objective 2 will develop strategies and technologies needed for more accurate and efficient
surveillance and monitoring of house flies (Hypothesis 2. A novel attractant based on constituents of molasses can be developed for house flies with no objectionable odor for indoor use).
Objective 3 will develop trap-based management systems for stable flies which are more environmentally friendly than some of the current systems (Hypothesis 3.A. Localized stable fly populations can be maintained at sub-threshold levels by designing management programs based on strategically placed traps). It will also develop labor-saving attract and kill devices for managing stable flies (Hypotheses 3B. Attract and kill devices can be developed which produce substantial fly mortality but require a minimal amount of servicing).
Objective 4 will investigate the effect of gut microbiome on fly fitness which could make the flies easier to kill with other management tools (Hypothesis 4.A. Axenic flies have lower fitness than non-sterile flies but can be “rescued” by ingestion of live bacteria). It will also re-visit Beauveria bassiana as a biological method adult fly management (Hypothesis 4.B. Screening wild isolates and subjecting candidate isolates to selection will result in faster-killing B. bassiana that is compatible with natural enemies). And finally, it will develop Tachinaephagus zealandicus, a parasitic wasp that attacks fly larvae, as a biological larvicide (Hypothesis 4.C. Hydrotaea aenescens can be used as production host for the gregarious larval endoparasitoid Tachinaephagus zealandicus).
