ARS | Publication request: Repellency of a wax-based catnip-oil formulation against stable flies

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 25, 2010
Publication Date: December 1, 2010
Citation: Zhu, J.J., Dunlap, C.A., Behle, R.W., Berkebile, D.R., Wienhold, B.J. 2010. Repellency of a wax-based catnip-oil formulation against stable flies. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 58:12320-12326. DOI: 10.1021/jf102811k.

Interpretive Summary: Stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), are one of the most serious livestock pests that cause significant economic loss in the cattle industry. Stable fly have been managed with costly and unsustainable insecticide applications and sanitation techniques. The present paper reports the development of catnip essential oil as an effective spatial repellent against stable flies and a wax-based formulation for application to the cattle feedlot. This is the first approach to develop botanical-based stable fly alternative control method in the field condition, and its improvement will play key roles in future application within the employment of Push-Pull strategy.

Technical Abstract: Our significant finds including: 1). EAG recordings showed that volatile catnip compounds elicit significant antennal responses from both sexes of stable flies; 2). The laboratory dispersal bioassay showed that stable flies avoided areas treated with catnip oil; 3). The relative concentration of catnip active ingredient compounds (nepetalactones) in treated areas was detected at 4 times higher than those in control areas; 4) After the application of wax-based catnip pellets in feedlots, over 99% repellency against stable flies in treated areas was observed, compared with non-treated areas. However, the efficacy of the spatial repellency disappeared after 24 hours. A positive correlation (r2 = 0.99) was found between the effectiveness of repulsion of catnip and the actual release rates during the test.