Effects of ingestion of dung containing ivermectin on aspects of behaviour in the fly Neomyia cornicina

Abstract

Adults of the dung fly Neomyia comicina (Fabricius) were fed continuously on either dung containing no ivermectin (control dung) or dung containing 0.125 pg g-' or 0.25 pg g-' ivermectin (wet weight). Comparisons were made between the behaviour of flies during the first 24 h of dung feeding and that observed after 96 h of feeding. Subsequent experiments investigated the effects of ivermectin ingestion on three measures of locomotory ability: escape time, time to re-right, and capture time.Analysis of behavioural data showed a significant reduction in the activity of ivermectinfed flies compared to that of the controls. After 96 h of feeding on dung containing ivermectin, there was a significant increase in the duration of time spent standing and a reduction in duration and frequency of walking and grooming behaviours compared to controls.Seventy-two hours after the onset of dung feeding, flies fed dung containing ivermectin took significantly longer to escape from a glass tube and to re-right themselves after overturning than flies fed control dung. The time taken to capture flies that had fed on dung containing ivermectin at 0.25 pg g-' was significantly shorter than that required to catch control flies when flies from the different treatment groups were presented blind and randomly.

The negative effects of the residues of ivermectin in cattle dung using a sustained-release bolus on Aphodius constans (Duft.) (Coleoptera: Aphodiidae)

“…The larval mortality of Musca domestica [13] and Musca vetustissima [15,22,23] is significantly higher than in controls more than one month after a subcutaneous injection of ivermectin to cattle. It is the same for other Diptera such as Neomyia cornicina [6,7,24] or Scatophaga stercoraria [19] whose larvae were unable to survive in dung collected up to one month after the cattle had been treated with ivermectin. In the same way, ivermectin has well-documented effects on a variety of beetles associated with dung and has been shown to have a wide range of sublethal effects in addition to its acute toxicity [17,18].…”

Single‐ and two‐species tests to study effects of the anthelmintics ivermectin and morantel and the coccidiostatic monensin on soil invertebrates

“…Reports of effects of ivermectin to beneficial dung‐inhabiting flies and beetles are in the same range as the toxic levels for F. fimetaria [46–50].…”

Environmental impact of ivermectin excreted by cattle treated in autumn on dung fauna and degradation of faeces on pasture

“…Alterations in development and emerging patterns caused by ivermectin metabolites have been described by Wardhaugh and Rodriguez Menendez (1988) as well as Gover and Strong (1995b). However, additional regional studies will be required to determine each family's precise susceptibility to this drug under controlled conditions.…”