Catch Composition of Tsetse Flies (<i>Glossina: Glossinidae</i>)

Abstract

Problem statement:A study to determine the composition of tsetse flies species was conducted between January and December, 2007 in Kamuku National Park, Nigeria, using Biconical and Nitse traps. Tsetse flies were trapped along gallery forest in five streams for two trapping days and were collected daily. Approach: All tsetse flies caught were identified to species level, sexed, separated into teneral and non-teneral, hunger staged and Mean Hunger Stage computed. Fly density were calculated, the age structure examined using wing fray techniques for males and ovarian technique for females; the reproductive status of female flies were assessed. Two species of tsetse flies (Glossina palpalis palpalis robineau-desvoidy and Glossina tachinoides Westwood) were caught in total of five hundred and two (502) flies. Out of these, 309(61.6%) Glossina tachinoides and 193(38.4%) G. palpalis were caught. Male catches (309, 61.6%) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than females (193, 38.4%) also, the teneral flies (289, 57.6%) were more than the non-teneral flies (213, 42.4%). The Mean Hunger Stage (MHS) of 3.6 obtained indicated a hungry fly population. Fly density was generally low (0.1fly/trap/day) and varied between months with highest density (3flies/trap/day) occurring in February and lowest (0.2 fly/trap/day) in July. Results: The estimated mean age for males was 11 days and females were 8 days. The insemination rate of 93.8% generally was high, G. tachinoides recorded 95.5% more than G. palpalis of 91.6%. Whereas parity rate (25.8%) was low; G. palpalis was 37.4% while G. tachinoides parity rate is 17.2%. Conclusion: The study shows that two species of tsetse flies abound in the park although at low densities their presence may bear semblance to Trypanosomiasis and its impact to ecotourism.

Factors Influencing Seasonal Abundance of <em>Glossina fuscipes fuscipes </em> (<em>Glossina: Glossinidae</em>) in Kajo-Keji County, South Sudan

“…However, a decrease in temperature slows down the rate of eggs development in the ovaries and increases the larval period leading to the inactivation of Glossina males rendering them unable to fertilize Glossina females which eventually could cause to population density drop-off (Mellanby, 1937); Moreover, the low fly apparent density in the wet season might be due to the presence of full leafed vegetation, which implies that many areas became water-logged and could attract predators such as spiders, dragonflies and ants on tsetse fly. Consequently, this might have forced the flies away from riverine vegetation into the open woodland (Okoch et al, 2011). Flies disperse beyond the water courses during the wet season is on contrary to the report in which flies disperse along river banks during wet seasons (Cano et al, 2007).…”

“…The existence of a large fly catches caught in Nyawa stream, KKC during the study period might be due to the presence of dense vegetation of tall shaded trees along this stream which provides shade and maintains a suitable microclimate for tsetse as well as a habitat for their vertebrate hosts. Such environmental parameters have created suitable conditions for the survival and flourishing of flies (Rogers and Randolph, 1985;Okoch et al, 2011). This study showed a disparity in the higher number of male fly catches as compared with the number of female fly catches.…”

“…This study showed a disparity in the higher number of male fly catches as compared with the number of female fly catches. Such disparity might be attributed to the response of the male flies to stationary objects and to traps, suggesting the high percentage of male catches (Okoch et al, 2011).…”

Molecular prevalence of trypanosome infections in cattle and tsetse flies in the Maasai Steppe, northern Tanzania

“…As expected, the overall prevalence of trypanosome infections was lower in tsetse flies than in cattle mostly because one tsetse fly can transmit trypanosomes to more than one animal. This finding could also be due to the fact that majority of trapped tsetse flies are comprised of unfed flies [ 46 , 47 ], which normally have a lower chance of carrying trypanosome infections. The epsilon traps used in this study are known to be selectively specific to savannah tsetse flies ( G. pallidipes and G. morsitans ) and hence may leave out other tsetse fly species responsible for transmitting some species of trypanosomes [ 48 – 50 ].…”

Molecular identification of bloodmeal sources and trypanosomes in Glossina spp., Tabanus spp. and Stomoxys spp. trapped on cattle farm settlements in southwest Nigeria

“…In Nigeria, 80% of total land area is infested with tsetse flies; moreover, biting flies, particularly of the genera Tabanus and Stomoxys , are thought to be ubiquitous (Dipeolu, ; Ahmed, ; Ahmed et al ., ; Okoh et al ., ; Odeniran et al ., ). The southwest of Nigeria is a marketing area for livestock owners and is subject to continuous migration and transhumance, as well as pastoral settling (Abubakar et al ., ).…”