Response of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to Screwworm Oviposition Attractant.
The sheep blowfly, Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae), causes sheep myiasis in various parts of the world. Female flies are attracted to sheep following various olfactory cues emanating from the sheep's body, and oviposit on suitable substrates on sheep ultimately causing myiasis. Earlier workers attempted to reduce fly population in the field, with some success, using traps baited with various attractants. This research was conducted to determine if L. sericata would respond to a recently developed synthetic attractant that has attracted gravid screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel, and stimulated them to oviposit. Results of the laboratory bioassays demonstrated that gravid females L. sericata were attracted to substrates treated with the synthetic screwworm attractant composed of five compounds--dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, phenol, p-cresol, and indole. Tests with various combinations of these compounds suggest that the sulfur compounds and indole are the most important compounds to elicit attraction and stimulate oviposition, while phenol and p-cresol may have minor roles. Semiochemical baits based on these compounds may be useful in the field to trap gravid L. sericata.
USDA-ARS, Screwworm Research Unit, Entomology Hall, UNL-EC, Lincoln, NE 68583. Muhammad.Chaudhury@ars.usda.gov.
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MF
Chaudhury
USDA-ARS, Agro-Ecosystem Management Research Unit, Entomology Hall, UNL-EC, Lincoln, NE 68583.
J J
JJ
Zhu
USDA-ARS,Screwworm Research Unit, Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028.
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SR
Skoda
D000818:Animals; D002633:Chemotaxis; D004175:Diptera / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D009198:Myiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012756:Sheep; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
D007211:Indoles; D010675:Pheromones; D013457:Sulfur Compounds; C030374:indole
dimethyl disulfide; dimethyl trisulfide; insect trap; semiochemical; sheep blowfly