Development of a Mycoinsecticide Bait Formulation for the Control of House Flies, Musca domestica L.

Abstract

The control of house flies, Musca domestica (L.), currently relies on the use of chemical insecticide spray and bait formulations. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium anisopliae, may provide an alternative to these products. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a mycoinsecticide bait formulation containing a virulent M. anisopliae isolate. Five M. anisopliae isolates were screened against M. domestica and isolate M16 was selected for bait development. Bait formulations containing a variety of additives, including (Z)-9-tricosene, were tested for their ability to increase fly visitation. A bait formulation containing M. anisopliae and skim milk powder was found to have the highest house fly visitation and was subsequently compared to a conventional chemical bait in an efficacy assay. The chemical bait (0.5% imidacloprid) caused faster mortality than the mycoinsecticide bait, however, similar levels of mortality were achieved by 4–5 days’ post exposure. These results suggest that M. anisopliae mycoinsecticide baits may offer an alternative to conventional chemical insecticides for the control of house flies in suitable areas.

Studying foraging behavior to improve bait sprays application to control Drosophila suzukii

“…When the bait spray is applied on a substrate that is not harvested, such as the leaves in a fruit crop system, this can also reduce the risk of food contamination with insecticides [12]. Bait sprays have proven to be effective in controlling pests such as Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera oleae, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and Drosophila suzukii [13][14][15][16][17]. In addition, the quantity of insecticide used, and the number of bait spray applications each year can be reduced [14,18,19].…”

Comparative Efficacy of Botanical Extracts Along with their Biosynthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Against House Fly Musca Domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)

“…The House fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) is a global health pest that poses a significant threat to both humans and animals by vectoring a variety of contagious diseases (Baker et al, 2020). The house fly spread some of its microbial content whenever it lands on human drinks or food by depositing it in saliva or feces (Park et al, 2019).…”

Identity, Prevalence, and Pathogenicity of Entomopathogenic Fungi Infecting Invasive Polistes (Vespidae: Polistinae) Paper Wasps in New Zealand

“…However, several fungal species may also proliferate via the oral tract of the host if propagules are ingested [ 14 , 25 ]. There is ongoing interest in the research of fungal entomopathogens as biological control agents for Arthropod pests [ 19 , 26 , 27 ]. Several species, such as Beauveria bassiana , B. brongniartii , Lecanicillium lecanii , Metarhizium anisopliae , Isaria fumosoroseus , and Hirsutella thompsonii are increasingly economically important in commercially developed mycoinsecticides [ 15 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”