Effects of Aerial Applications of Naled on Nontarget Insects at Parris Island, South Carolina

Abstract

Testing impacts of large-scale aerial spraying to control public health pests under realistic field conditions are needed to understand impacts on natural populations of nontarget insects. Responses of terrestrial insects to aerial applications of an organophosphate insecticide, naled, used for mosquito and biting midge control were studied on Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. Aerial applications were made with C-130 aircraft at dusk in 2003 and in 2005. In 2003, we sampled two locations on Parris Island with Malaise traps before and after spraying, and used Before-After analyses to examine changes in terrestrial insect diversity and abundance. In 2005, we sampled insects with yellow pan traps at three locations on Parris Island and at an untreated control site. A Before-After Control-Impact analysis at each location was conducted to compare changes. In 2003, numbers of four of 12 common taxa (Dolichopodidae, Sarcophagidae, Syrphidae, Tachinidae) were lower after sprays. However, there were no significant changes in numbers of common taxa or total numbers in 2005. Shannon diversities (H') were not different in either year indicating that sprays had minimal impact on overall community biodiversity. In contrast, populations of pestiferous biting midges (Culicoides spp.) collected in CDC-style traps were reduced by 94-99% after spraying in both years; mosquito numbers declined by 88.2% in 2003 and 92.5% in 2005, after sprays.

Lethal ovitrap deployment for Aedes aegypti control: potential implications for non-target organisms

“…Our results indicate Diptera and Hymenoptera were the dominant Orders captured in the SSO, and Collembola the most abundant non‐target collected, although numbers fluctuated seasonally with Diptera dominant in Cairns wet season months. These results are comparable to Breidenbaugh and de Szalay () who similarly report Diptera and Hymenoptera as their dominant orders collected, with Dolichopodidae as their most abundant non‐target Family (Breidenbaugh and de Szalay ). In comparison to published findings that Collembola population densities reach several million individuals per m 2 , our ∼20,000 specimens indicate minimal impact (Natuhara et al , Fiera , Huang et al ).…”

Risk assessment for adult butterflies exposed to the mosquito control pesticide naled

“…One investigation reported that survival of late-instar Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri larvae following aerial naled applications was reduced 26% compared with a reference location [7]. In a study not targeting butterflies, aerial naled applications reduced abundance for several nontarget insect families but did not affect diversity [8]. In a study not targeting butterflies, aerial naled applications reduced abundance for several nontarget insect families but did not affect diversity [8].…”

“…Another reported that the mean abundance for A. troglodyte floridalis, but not S. acis bartrami, was greater at locations not treated by mosquito control pesticides relative to sprayed locations [1]. In a study not targeting butterflies, aerial naled applications reduced abundance for several nontarget insect families but did not affect diversity [8]. Therefore, it appears that naled impacts on insects in the field vary depending on the family of interest.…”

Pesticides and Pollination of Imperiled Plants of the Lower Florida Keys

“…In addition to EPA evaluation, other non-target impact studies generally focus on a very small subset of economically important and well-studied species, namely honeybees and Daphnia sp. (Breidenbaugh & Szalay 2010;Hoang et al 2011;Antwi & Reddy 2015).…”

“…Activity of immature stages, feeding behavior, seasonality, and timing of spraying can all affect insecticide exposure and sensitivity. Nocturnal invertebrates are potentially more vulnerable to insecticide exposure during evening truck applications than morning aerial applications, and vice versa for diurnal feeders and foragers (Longley & Sotherton 1997;Breidenbaugh & Szalay 2010). In addition, phytophagous beetles experience greater lethality than predaceous beetles (Coats et al 1979), indicating that diet may be an important factor for toxicity among organisms.…”