From September 2001 through September 2002, filth fly puparia were collected weekly from silage, an open field, and a calf pen from a dairy in Northcentral Florida and evaluated for natural parasitism (no parasitoid released). The house fly, Musca domestica L. and the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) were the major filth fly hosts. Of the total of 7,999 house fly puparia and 1,702 stable fly puparia producing either a fly or a parasitoid, 26.0 and 26.7%were parasitized, respectively. Peak activity of the parasitoids was observed in December and July with parasitism rates of 41.2 and 37.0%, respectively. Ten parasitoid species were recovered; the most common parasitoids were Spalangia endius Walker (33.3%), S. cameroni Perkins (28.4%), S. nigroaenea Curtis (24.1%), and Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders (13.0%). Other parasitoids included one specimen of S. erythromera Förster, and four specimens of Phygadeuon sp. Gravenhörst (Ichneumonidae) (these findings are believed to be new state records). Spalangia nigroaenea was the predominant parasitoid in July, August, and September. Spalangia endius was very active from October to May with a peak of relative abundance in January (46.5%). Spalangia cameroni was consistently detected through the entire year with a peak of relative abundance in May (47.%). Muscidifurax raptor was the predominant parasitoid in December (47.1%). Percentage of parasitism of puparia collected from silage was greatly higher than that of puparia from the calf pen and the open field.
Species 1: Diptera Muscidae Musca domestica (house fly)
Species 2: Diptera Muscidae Stomoxys Calcitrans (stable fly)
Keywords: biological control, filth flies
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