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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #261317

Title: Chemical ecology of stable fly and its future practical applications in control

Author
item Zhu, Junwei - Jerry

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2010
Publication Date: 12/15/2010
Citation: Zhu, J.J. 2010. Chemical ecology of stable fly and its future practical applications in control [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. p. 1307-1308.

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 flies have been managed with costly and unsustainable insecticide applications and sanitation techniques. The present paper reports the discovery of a botanical-based essential oil as an effective stable fly feeding and ovipositional repellent. This provides vital information for future development in fly integrated management using a Push-Pull strategy.

Technical Abstract: The essential oil of catnip reduced feeding of stable flies by more than 96% in an in vitro bioassay system, when compared with other sesquiterpene-rich plant oils (e.g. amyris and sandalwood). Catnip oil demonstrated strong repellency against stable flies relative to other chemicals for repelling biting insects including isolongifolenone, 2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexen-1-carboxamide and (1S,2'S)-2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexen-1-carboxamide. Repellency of stable flies by DEET was relatively low. In field trials, two formulations of catnip oil provided > 95% protection with effective residual activity of up to 6 hours when tested on cattle. Catnip oil also acted as a strong oviposition repellent, reducing gravid stable fly oviposition by 98%.