Effects of the botanical compound p-anisaldehyde on horn fly, house fly, and stable fly eggs

Authors: Showler, Allan; Harlien, Jessica

Submitted to: Journal of Integrated Pest Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Horn flies, house flies, and stable flies are problematic to livestock production and, in the instance of house flies, to human health. p-Anisaldehyde was assessed for its bioactivity against the eggs of each of the three filth fly species. The compound, which is found in many edible plans, was lethal to the eggs of horn and stable flies at relatively low (0.01%) concentration when eggs were exposed on treated substrate, and when exposed to fumigation (0.0001%). Although house fly eggs were less vulnerable to treated substrate than the other two filth fly species, eggs hatch was delayed, and fumigation with a low p-anisaldehyde concentration (0.001%) induced substantial egg mortality. In many instances, larval development inside the eggs did not occur while in other instances larvae developed and swelled, breaking the egg casing open but failed to emerge as free living larvae. The possible utility of p-anisaldehyde against the eggs of the three muscid species as a possible IPM tactic is discussed.

Technical Abstract: Horn flies, Haematobia irritans irritans (L.); house flies, Musca domestica L.; and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), are problematic to livestock production and, in the instance of M. domestica, to human health. p-Anisaldehyde was assessed for its bioactivity against the eggs of each of the three muscid species. The compound, which is found in many edible plans, was lethal to the eggs of H. irritans and S. calcitrans at relatively low ('0.01%) concentration when eggs were exposed on treated substrate, and when exposed to fumigation ('0.0001%). Although M. domestica eggs were less vulnerable to treated substrate than the other two muscids, eggs hatch was delayed, and fumigation with a low p-anisaldehyde concentration (0.001%) induced substantial egg mortality. In many instances, larval development inside the eggs did not occur while in other instances larvae developed and swelled, breaking the egg casing open but failed to emerge as free living larvae. The possible utility of p-anisaldehyde against the eggs of the three muscid species as a possible IPM tactic is discussed.