Efficacy of neem extract against the blowfly and housefly

Abstract

The blowfly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), and housefly, Musca domestica Linnaeus, are ubiquitous insects that have the potential to spread a variety of pathogens to humans and livestock. Pest management techniques for populations of these flies are needed. Currently, bioinsecticides, particularly those derived from plant origin, have been increasingly evaluated in controlling populations of medically important insects. In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate the efficacy and biological activity of a commercially available neem extract, containing 0.24% azadirachtin A, against C. megacephala and M. domesitca. Laboratory bioassays were performed using the feeding method of mixing neem solutions with fresh beef, once or multiple times, as food for rearing third instar. The laboratory tests showed that neem products significantly reduced larval and pupal survival, adult emergence, pupal weight, adult wing length, and fecundity on the subsequent generation, in a dose-dependent manner in both species. Efficacy was observed in the first generation and could extend to the second generation. Despite these reductions, reduction in total adult longevity was not evident for larvae fed once on neem solutions with fresh beef, and slightly earlier (approximately 1 week) mortality was observed in both species when they were fed as larvae on multiple doses. Adverse effects of this neem-based product toward M. domestica were slightly greater than those in C. megacephala. These data reinforced the efficacy of neem extract in reduced adult emergence and anti-fecundity in the subsequent generation. However, neem extract induced only low to moderate larval and pupal mortalities.

Azadirachta indica

“…Against larval housefl ies, the LC 50 and LC 90 were 10.5 and 20.2 ppm, respectively. Laboratory tests showed that neem products containing 0.24 % azadirachtin A signifi cantly reduced larval and pupal survival, adult emergence, pupal weight, adult wing length and fecundity on the subsequent generation, in a dose-dependent manner in housefl y, Musca domestica , and blowfl y, Chrysomya megacephala (Siriwattanarungsee et al 2008 ). The data reinforced the effi cacy of neem extract in reduced adult emergence and anti-fecundity in the subsequent generation.…”

A cross sectional survey of knowledge, attitude and practices related to house flies among dairy farmers in Punjab, Pakistan

“…Although synthetic insecticides could help to manage house flies, some side effects to the environment and development of insecticide resistance in house flies [21,22] focus on the need to explore alternative insecticides. A. indica essential oils have insecticidal potential and used previously to manage house flies and other pests in different parts of the world [23]. Sound knowledge of plants in community health could be very helpful particularly in cases where mainstream health care is often lacking.…”

Antimosquito activity of aqueous kernel extract of soapnut Sapindus emarginatus: impact on various developmental stages of three vector mosquito species and nontarget aquatic insects

“…This secondary metabolite is known to be effective against a wide range of insect pests as well as vectors (Su and Mulla 1999;Rong et al 2000;Huang et al 2004;Sriwattanarungsee et al 2008), and its efficacy against the mosquito targets has been proven by its ovicidal (Su and Mulla 1999), larvicidal, and pupicidal activity (Coria et al 2008) and inhibition of insect growth (Okumu et al 2007). Despite these merits, there are, however, at least two notable disadvantages with azadirachtin: it degrades rapidly upon exposure to sunlight, resulting in great loss of its insecticidal activity (Johnson et al 2003), and azadirachtin (0.5 and 1 ppm) in water suspension enhances the oviposition response of the mosquito Culex tarsalis, and this enhancement was more pronounced in 1-week-old neem formulation (Su and Mulla 1999).…”