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Title: SUPPRESSION OF BLOOD FEEDING BY OCHLEROTATUS DORSALIS AND OCHLEROTATUS MELANIMON (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) ON CATTLE TREATED WITH PYTHON EAR TAGS

Author
item LLOYD, JOHN - UNIV OF WYOMING
item Schmidtmann, Edward
item KUMAR, RABINDER - UNIV OF WYOMING
item BOBIAN, RONALD - 5410-10-00
item WAGGONER, JAMES - UNIV OF WYOMING
item LEGG, DAVID - UNIV OF WYOMING
item HILL, D - UNIV OF WYOMING

Submitted to: Journal of the Mosquito Control Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2002
Publication Date: 2/1/2002
Citation: Lloyd, J.E., Schmidtmann, E.T., Kumar, R., Bobian, R.J., Waggoner, J.W., Legg, D.E., Hill, D.C. 2002. Suppression of blood feeding by ochlerotatus dorsalis and ochlerotatus melanimon (diptera: culicidae) on cattle treated with python ear tags. Journal of the Mosquito Control Association. 18: 207-209.

Interpretive Summary: We tested the repellent activity of ear tags containing the synthetic pyrethroid zeta-cypermethrin against two species of mosquitoes. Numbers of mosquitoes blood feeding from treated and non-treated cattle were determined at 2 and 4 weeks after tags were applied. The results show that that blood feeding from treated animals was reduced by from 79 to 84 % after 2 and 4 weeks, repectively. This study, which confirms the previously reported repellency activity of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, shows that ear tags can provide long-lasting protection for domestic livestock against blood-feeding mosquitoes.

Technical Abstract: Adult mosquitoes were collected by drop traps to compare blood feeding rates between cattle treated with 2 Python ear tags (10% zeta cypermethrin and 20% piperonyl butoxide) per animal and animals that were untreated. Mosquitoes were collected both 2 and 4 weeks after application of the ear tags. Blood feeding by Ochlerotatus dorsalis was reduced by 79 and 72% , respectively and blood feeding by Ochlerotatus melanimon was reduced by 84 and 81% respectively, at 2 and 4 weeks. Based on chi-square analysis, differences in blood-feeding rates due to treatment were significant. The effect of the treatment appeared to be repellence, because no mosquito mortaltiy was observed at the time of collection and no mortality was observed among blood fed mosquitoes that were collected and held for 24 h.