First report of cyromazine resistance in a population of UK house fly (Musca domestica) associated with intensive livestock production.
BACKGROUND
House fly control in livestock-rearing facilities is heavily reliant on the use of the larvicide cyromazine. While extensive use of this compound has led to the development of resistance in several countries, no elevated tolerance has so far been reported from the United Kingdom.


RESULTS
Tolerance to cyromazine in larvae derived from a field strain collected at an intensive pig unit was significantly elevated over that of insects taken from a susceptible laboratory strain. Resistance factors (RFs) of 2.9 and 2.4 were returned for assays initiated with eggs and neonate larvae respectively. The RF for field strain larvae exposed from neonate increased significantly to 3.9 and 5.6 following rounds of selection at 1.0 and then 1.5 mg kg(-1) cyromazine.


CONCLUSIONS
Low-level resistance to cyromazine in UK house flies is reported here for the first time. The geographic extent of this resistance is unknown but, if widespread, may lead to control failures in the future, and indicates that careful stewardship of this compound in the United Kingdom is now required.
Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, UK. howard.bell@fera.gov.gsi.uk
Howard A
HA
Bell
Katherine A
KA
Robinson
Robert J
RJ
Weaver
D000818:Animals; D006793:Houseflies / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D007300:Insect Control; D007305:Insecticide Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007753:Laboratories; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D058751:Livestock; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006113:United Kingdom
D007306:Insecticides; D014227:Triazines; C028704:cyromazine