Distribution and Persistence of Sterile Screwworms (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Released at the Panama-Colombia Border.
The sterile insect technique is used by the Comisión Panamá - Estados Unidos para la Erradicación y Prevención del Gusano Barrenador del Ganado (COPEG) to maintain a barrier at the border of Panama and Colombia to prevent screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), from South America reinfesting North America. Before studying the distribution and persistence of sterilized, mass-produced screwworms released in the barrier zone, the utility of applying fluorescent dust (∼1.0 mg/fly) to pupae and to newly emerged adults was evaluated to determine the potential effect on fly survival. The flight ability of flies collected from two adult emergence/collection systems (enclosed towers and open chambers) and treated with low (∼0.20 mg/fly) or high (∼1.0 mg/fly) amounts of fluorescent powder was compared. The distribution and persistence of sterile screwworms marked with fluorescent powder (∼0.20 mg/fly), after collection from the same two adult emergence/collection systems, was compared after their release in the barrier zone. The results demonstrated that: 1) fluorescent dust did not negatively affect sterile screwworm longevity or flight ability; 2) no differences were detected between sterile flies collected from the two emergence systems; and 3) sterile screwworms distributed evenly in the barrier zone and persisted for > 6 d. This information was useful in implementing the use of a new sterile fly emergence/collection system and deploying a new strain by COPEG for the barrier zone maintenance program; it will be valuable for evaluating alternative release strategies of sterile screwworms by the eradication and barrier maintenance program.
USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL, Screwworm Research Unit, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX 78028, USA (steve.skoda@ars.usda.gov; pamela.phillips@ars.usda.gov).
Steven R
SR
Skoda
USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL, Screwworm Research Unit, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX 78028, USA (steve.skoda@ars.usda.gov; pamela.phillips@ars.usda.gov).
Pamela L
PL
Phillips
USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL, Screwworm Research Unit, Sterile Screwworm Production Plant, Pacora, Panama (agustin.sagel@ars.usda.gov).
Agustin
A
Sagel
USDA-ARS-KBUSLIRL, Screwworm Research Unit, 105B Entomology Hall, UNL-EC, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA (Muhammad.Chaudhury@ars.usda.gov).
Muhammad F
MF
Chaudhury
D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia; D004175:Diptera / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005453:Fluorescence; D010176:Panama; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D011208:Powders / Q000032:analysis; D011679:Pupa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
D011208:Powders
Cochliomyia hominivorax; barrier maintenance; fluorescent powder; sterile insect technique