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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #288459
Title: High throughput mosquito and fly bioassay system for natural and artificial substrates treated with residual insecticides

Author
item Aldridge, Robert
item WYNN, WILLARD - Retired ARS Employee
item Gibson, Seth
item Allan, Sandra - Sandy
item WALKER, TODD - Department Of Defense
item Geden, Christopher - Chris
item Hogsette, Jerome - Jerry
item Linthicum, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/31/2012
Publication Date: 3/20/2013
Citation: Aldridge, R.L., Wynn, W.W., Britch, S.C., Allan, S.A., Walker, T.W., Geden, C.J., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Linthicum, K. 2013. High throughput mosquito and fly bioassay system for natural and artificial substrates treated with residual insecticides. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association. 29(1):84-87. doi: 10.2987/12-6307R.1.

Interpretive Summary: A method has been developed to rapidly assess whether treated pesticide material and vegetation can control range of target organisms (bioassay). The method utilizes generic, easily acquired materials and equipment produced in-lab for the purposes of increasing the capacity and assessment of testing. The testing process involves cylindrical, flat-bottomed glass tubes, loaded with a sample of treated material (fabric or vegetation). That is then exposed to 10 test organisms, and scored at 24 and 48 hours. After 48 hours, the organisms are killed, and replaced with a set of a new species of test organism that has not been previously tested before on the same surface.

Technical Abstract: A high throughput bioassay system to evaluate the efficacy of residual pesticides against mosquitoes and muscid flies with minimal insect handling was developed consisting of four components made of readily available materials, (1) a CO2 anesthetizing chamber, (2) a specialized aspirator, and (3) a cylindrical flat-bottomed glass bioassay chamber assembly stored in (4) a customized rack.