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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #223598

Title: Evaluation of natural oils and plant extracts as repellents and attractants for house flies (Musca domestica)

Author
item BRAVERMAN, Y - KIMRON VET. INST -ISREAL
item Hogsette, Jerome - Jerry

Submitted to: Phytoparasitica
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2001
Publication Date: 2/21/2008
Citation: Braverman, Y., Hogsette Jr., J. A. 2001. Evalutation of natural oils and plant extracts as repellents and attractants for house flies (Musca domestica). Phytoparasitica, 27:57-58.

Interpretive Summary: None.

Technical Abstract: House fly adults are a nuisance in livestock and poultry facilities, as well as in urban settings. Many chemical pesticides can no longer be used to control this pest because the flies have become resistant to them. Meanwhile, the public is clamoring for a general reduction in pesticide use. Attractants and repellents made from natural oils and plant extracts could prove beneficial in fly management systems to direct flies towards or away from selected areas. Because there is no standard repellent for house fly adults, we used 15% deet for this purpose; granulated sugar was used as the standard attractant for adults. We know of no attractants or repellents tested against house fly larvae and no standard was used. We screened a number of natural products against adult and immature house flies and many products showed promise for further development. Testing was done in the laboratory and in the field. Because some products are still in the patent process, they were referred to by a code name.