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ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » LAPRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333728
Research Project: Management of Flies Associated with Livestock

Location: Livestock Arthropod Pests Research

Title: Lethal effects of the insect growth regulator cyromazine against three species of filth flies, Musca domestica L., Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), and Fannia canicularis (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) in cattle, swine, and chicken manure

Author
item DONAHUE, WILLIAM - SIERRA RESEARCH LABRATORIES
item Showler, Allan
item DONAHUE, MICHAEL - SIERRA RESEARCH LABRATORIES
item VINSON, BRET - SIERRA RESEARCH LABRATORIES
item OSBRINK, WESTE

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2016
Publication Date: 1/25/2017
Citation: Donahue, W., Showler, A., Donahue, M., Vinson, B.E., Osbrink, W.L. 2017. Lethal effects of the insect growth regulator cyromazine against three species of filth flies, Musca domestica L., Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), and Fannia canicularis (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) in cattle, swine, and chicken manure. Journal of Economic Entomology. 110:776-782.

Interpretive Summary: Filth flies are a widespread problem where livestock are maintained and where manure accumulates. The house fly, the stable fly, and the little house fly can mechanically carry diseases and stable flies can bite cattle, which causes losses in meat and milk production. Chemicals are used for filth fly control but resistance to those chemicals has been detected in insect pest populations, prompting a search for nonconventional insecticides. We assessed the ability of granular and spray application methods for cyromazine (Neporex), an insect growth regulator, to suppress the three fly species developing in poultry, cow, and swine manure collected from commercial production facilities. Each of the application methods provided strong or complete control of the pests for the 4-wk study. Cyromazine-based insecticides appear to be effective tools that, if rotated appropriately with other insecticides, fit well within an integrated pest management strategy for filth fly suppression.

Technical Abstract: Various species of so-called filth flies are a widespread problem where livestock, including poultry, is maintained and where manure accumulates. The house fly, Musca domestica L.; the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.); and the little house fly, Fannia canicularis (L.) (each Diptera: Muscidae), the target pests in our study, can mechanically spread diseases and S. calcitrans can bite cattle, which causes losses in meat and milk production. Chemical control is widely used to suppress filth flies but resistance to conventional insecticides has become problematic. Hence, an alternative, “least toxic” approach, insect growth regulators, has been adopted by many livestock producers. We assessed the ability of granular and spray application methods for a cyromazine-based insect growth regulator, Neporex, to suppress the three muscid species developing in poultry, cow, and swine manure collected from commercial livestock production facilities. Each of the application methods provided strong or complete control of the pests for the 4-wk duration of the study, excluding poultry manure from one facility where F. canicularis was controlled for 2 wk. Cyromazine-based insect growth regulators appear to be effective tools that, if rotated appropriately with other insecticides, fit well with integrated pest management strategies for filth fly suppression.