Effect of livestock manures on the fitness of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

The house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the major pests of confined and pastured livestock worldwide. Livestock manures play an important role in the development and spread of M. domestica. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different livestock manures on the fitness and relative growth rate of M. domestica and intrinsic rate of natural increase. We tested the hypotheses by studying life history parameters including developmental time from egg to adult's eclosion, fecundity, longevity, and survival on manures of buffalo, cow, nursing calf, dog, horse, poultry, sheep, and goat, which revealed significant differences that might be associated with fitness costs. The maggots reared on poultry manure developed faster compared to any other host manure. The total developmental time was the shortest on poultry manure and the longest on horse manure. The fecundity by females reared on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures was greater than on any other host manures. Similarly, percent survival of immature stages, pupal weight, eggs viability, adults' eclosion, survival and longevity, intrinsic rate of natural increase, and biotic potential were significantly higher on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures compared to any other livestock manures tested. However, the sex ratio of adult flies remained the same on all types of manures. The low survival on horse, buffalo, cow, sheep, and goat manures suggest unsuitability of these manures, while the higher pupal weight on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures suggest that these may provide better food quality to M. domestica compared with any other host manures. Our results point to the role of livestock manures in increasing local M. domestica populations. Such results could help to design cultural management strategies which may include sanitation, moisture management, and manure removal.     

Genetic and light intensity effects on the activity and emigratory behavior of the house fly,Musca domestica (L.)

The emigratory behavior and locomotor activity of yellow-eyed (y/y), wildtype (+/+), and heterozygous (+/y) house flies was examined at 8 fc (86 lx) and 1600 fc (17,223 lx) light intenstities. At 8 fc, emigration rate and activity of the y/y flies was similar to that of the +/+ and +/y flies. However, at 1600 fc, the y/y flies emigrated at twice the rate and showed an activity of about one-third that of the other genotypes. The behavior of the +/+ and +/y flies remained similar regardless of the experimental design or light intensity. The excessive neural stimulation by high-intensity light resulting from reduced shielding pigments led to behavioral modifications in the visual and tactile responses of the y/y flies.This research was supported in part by grants from the CUNY Faculty Research Award Program (No. 1103) and NIH Biomedical Research Support Grant 5-S05-R-07064.     

家蝇对常用杀虫剂的抗药性监测分析

目的了解大连市区家蝇对5种常用杀虫剂的抗性水平,为指导家蝇防制提供科学依据。方法采用微量点滴法,测定家蝇半数致死量（LD50）。结果大连市家蝇对溴氰菊酯、高效氯氰菊酯、敌敌畏、毒死蜱、残杀威的LDm依次为0．00914128（μg／♀）、0．04449952（μg／♀）、0．13749008（μg／♀）、0．184592448（μg／♀）、〉97．27（μg／♀）,对残杀威、溴氰菊酯、高效氯氰菊酯、毒死蜱、敌敌畏抗性倍数依次为〉275．4744、23．4392、15．8927、6．1347、2．3131。结论大连市区家蝇对5种常用杀虫剂均产生了明显的抗性,残杀威、溴氰菊酯、高效氯氰菊酯均为高抗,毒死蜱为中抗,敌敌畏为低抗。     

Morphology of the first instar of the house fly Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

Scanning electron microscopy documentation of the first instar of Musca domestica L. is presented for the first time. The following morphological structures are documented: antenna, maxillary palpus, facial mask, spinulation, posterior spiracles, anal pad, and integumental micropores. Morphology of the first-instar larva of M. domestica is discussed in light of existing knowledge about early larval instars of Calyptrata flies.     

Occupational allergy to the common house fly (Musca domestica): Use of immunologic response to identify atmospheric allergen

A 48-year-old scientific worker developed rhinitis that occurred when she entered the housefly (Musca domestica) rearing room where she worked. She was found to have specific IgE antibody to M. domestica in her serum by RAST. She was relocated at work and avoided further occupational exposure to M. domestica. The level of specific IgE decreased in serial samples but subsequently increased after her inadvertent reexposure at work. Extracts of fly-cage dust and of high volume atmospheric samples from the fly-rearing room inhibited the M. domestica RAST in a dose-dependent fashion. After logit transformation the lines of inhibition of the fly cage dust and of the atmospheric samples were parallel and steeper than the self-inhibition by M. domestica, implying the cage dust and atmospheric samples shared antigens not present in the M. domestica extract. This method of monitoring atmospheric antigen has considerable potential for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental change in the workplace.     

Cross-resistance,genetics, and realized heritability of resistance to fipronil in the house fly,Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae): a potential vector for disease transmission

Houseflies, Musca domestica (L.), are ubiquitous pests that have the potential to spread a variety of pathogens to humans, poultries, and dairies. Pesticides are commonly used for the management of this pest. Fipronil is a GABA-gated chloride channel-inhibiting insecticide that has been commonly used for the management of different pests including M. domestica throughout the world. Many pests have developed resistance to this insecticide. A field-collected strain of M. domestica was selected with fipronil for continuous 11 generations to assess the cross-resistance, genetics, and realized heritability for designing a resistance management strategy. Laboratory bioassays were performed using the feeding method of mixing insecticide concentrations with 20 % sugar solutions and cotton soaks dipped in insecticide solutions were provided to tested adult flies. Bioassay results at G₁₂ showed that the fipronil-selected strain developed a resistance ratio of 140-fold compared to the susceptible strain. Synergism bioassay with piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and S,S,S,-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) indicated that fipronil resistance was associated with microsomal oxidase and also esterase. Reciprocal crosses between resistant and susceptible strains showed an autosomal and incompletely dominant resistance to fipronil. The LC₅₀ values of F₁ and F′₁ strains were not significantly different and dominance values were 0.74 and 0.64, respectively. The resistance to fipronil was completely recessive (D _ML ?=?0.00) at the highest dose and incompletely dominant at the lowest dose (D _ML ?=?0.87). The monogenic resistance based on chi-square goodness of fit test and calculation of the minimum number of segregating genes showed that resistance to fipronil is controlled by multiple genes. The fipronil resistance strain confirmed very low cross-resistance to emamectin benzoate and spinosad while no cross-resistance to chlorpyrifos and acetamiprid when compared to that of the field population. The heritability values were 0.112, 0.075, 0.084, 0.008, and 0.052 for fipronil, emamectin benzoate, spinosad, acetamiprid, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. It was concluded that fipronil resistance in M. domestica was autosomally inherited, incompletely dominant, and polygenic. These findings would be helpful for the better and successful management of M. domestica.     

Feeding deterrent activity of synthesized silver nanoparticles using Manilkara zapota leaf extract against the house fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

With a greater awareness of the hazards associated with the use of synthetic organic insecticides, there has been an urgent need to explore suitable alternative products for pest control. Musca domestica is ubiquitous insect that has the potential to spread a variety of pathogens to humans and livestock. They are mechanical carriers of more than hundred human and animal intestinal diseases and are responsible for protozoan, bacterial, helminthic, and viral infections. The present work aimed to investigate the feeding deterrent activity of synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using leaf aqueous extract of Manilkara zapota against M. domestica. The synthesized Ag NPs were recorded from UV–vis spectrum at 421 nm and scanning electron microscopy confirm the biosynthesis and characterization of Ag NPs with spherical and oval in shape and size of 70–140 nm. The FTIR analysis of the purified nanoparticles showed the presence of bands 1,079, 1,383, 1,627, 2,353, and 2,648 cm^?1, which were complete synthesis of AgNPs; the XRD pattern of AgNPs showed diffraction peaks at 2θ values of 38.06°, 44.37°, 64.51°, and 77.31° sets of lattice planes were observed (111), (200), (220), and (311) facts of silver, respectively. Adult flies were exposed to different concentrations of the aqueous extract of synthesized Ag NPs, 1 mM silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution and aqueous extract of M. zapota for 1, 2, and 3 h; however, AgNPs showed 72% mortality in 1 h, 89% mortality was found in 2 h, and 100% mortality was found in 3 h exposure at the concentration of 10 mg/mL and the leaf aqueous extract showed 32% mortality in 1 h, 48% mortality was found in 2 h, and 83% mortality was found in 3 h exposure at concentration of 50 mg/mL. The most efficient activity was observed in synthesized Ag NPs against M. domestica (LD₅₀?=?3.64 mg/mL; LD₉₀?=?7.74 mg/mL), the moderate activity reported in the aqueous extract of M. zapota (LD₅₀?=?28.35 mg/mL; LD₉₀?=?89.19 mg/mL) and nil activity were observed in AgNO₃ solution at 3 h exposure time at 10 mg/mL. Dimethyl 2, 2-dichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP) was used as a positive control and showed the LD₅₀ value of 3.38 mL/L. These results suggest that the synthesized Ag NPs have the potential to be used as an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of the adult of M. domestica. This method is considered as a new approach to control sanitary pest. Therefore, this study provides first report on the feeding deterrent activity of synthesized Ag NPs against housefly.     

Relationship between selected bacteria and the growth of immature house flies, Musca domestica, in an axenic test system.

To investigate the relationship between immature (maggot) house flies, Musca domestica, and bacteria, we compared the development of sterile first-instar maggots in each of 10 pure blood agar cultures of bacteria with growth on sterile blood agar (negative control) and on standard house fly rearing medium (positive control). Nine species of bacteria representing gram-negative and gram-positive rods, coccoid, and micrococcoid cell types supported house fly growth on blood agar. One bacterium, a strain of Bacillus cereus, inhibited maggot growth. The percent pupation for maggots that developed in the presence of eight of nine bacteria (range, 41-69%), was significantly greater than in sterile blood agar (0-5%), and did not differ significantly from maggot growth in the rearing medium (50-90%). Average pupal weight for maggots that developed on blood agar with bacteria ranged from 19 to 21 mg, a reflection of favorable growth conditions. Average pupal weight in the presence of three bacteria (19.9, 19.4, and 19.4 mg) was significantly less than respective pupal weights in house fly rearing medium (24.0, 22.3, and 22.1 mg), but there was no difference in average pupal weight with six bacteria and the house fly rearing medium. These findings illustrate that bacteria or their metabolic products are essential as nutrients for house fly maggot growth in blood agar; a wide variety of adventitious bacteria can contribute to the suitability of an organic substrate for maggot growth; and a naturally occurring isolate of B. cereus limits house fly maggot growth in blood agar, a relationship that has not been reported previously.