BOOM & ZIG ZAG against
House flies, Musca domestica
Efficacy Evaluation of Organic Insecticides
Organic insecticides under the trade name Boom containing clove oil, pyrethrins & citronella oil as active ingredients and Zig Zag containing citronella oil as active ingredient were evaluated to assess its efficacy against House flies, Musca domestica in dumpster (skip). A big skip with heavy fly infestation was selected from the slaughterhouse in Al Yahar district for the study. The skip was divided into three portions and named A, B & C. Portion A was treated with Boom, portion C was treated with Zig Zag and portion B (middle portion) was kept as Control. Hand held B&G sprayer was used to apply the insecticides. Pre-treatment count of house flies was taken from the skip and post-treatment counts were taken after 1 hour, 24 hours and 48 hours. The results showed drastic reduction of house flies in the treated areas. Knock down effect was noted in the area treated with Boom as few house flies were found dead within 10 minutes after treatment. Both the insecticides showed repellent action as flies were noted avoiding the treated areas and preferred to land on the control portion only. Within 24 hours the portion treated with Boom was noted with approximately 250 dead flies and the portion treated with Zig Zag was noted with around 300 dead flies. Even after 48 hours the flies that landed on the treated surfaces showed effects of poisoning.
INTRODUCTION
The House fly, Musca domestica (L.), The house fly, Musca domestica Linnaeus, is a well-known cosmopolitan pest of both farm and home. This species is always found in association with humans or the activities of humans. It is the most common species found on hog and poultry farms, horse stables and ranches. Not only are house flies a nuisance, but they can also transport disease-causing organisms. Excessive fly populations are not only an irritant but a public health problem also. Of particular concern is the movement of flies from animal or human feces to food that will be eaten uncooked by humans. Also, when consumed by flies, some pathogens can be harbored in the mouthparts or alimentary canal for several days, and then be transmitted when flies defecate or regurgitate. In situations where plumbing is lacking, such as open latrines, serious health problems can develop, especially if there are outdoor food markets, hospitals, or slaughter houses nearby. Among the pathogens commonly transmitted by house flies are Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Escherichia, Enterococcus, Chlamydia, and many other species that cause illness. These flies are most commonly linked to outbreaks of diarrhea and shigellosis, but also are implicated in transmission of food poisoning, typhoid fever, dysentery, tuberculosis, anthrax, ophthalmia, and parasitic worms. In this study, we conducted evaluation of organic insecticides containing clove oil, citronella oil and pyrethrins, for control of house flies. We examined the insecticides’ efficacy against house flies in skip. We found that both the insecticides are effective in controlling fly population in skips.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Insects: House flies in the field were used in the study. The Al Ain strain of house flies, present in a large skip were subjected to the trial.
Insecticide: Boom organic insecticide liquid containing 2% clove oil, 7% pyrethrins & 2% citronella oil and Zig Zag insecticide liquid containing 20% citronella oil were used in this study.
Design of experiment: The trial was conducted in field environment. The trial continued for 48 hours and results were taken after 1 hour, 24 hours and 48 hours.
Efficacy trials of organic insecticides under the trade name Boom containing clove oil, pyrethrins & citronella oil as active ingredients and Zig Zag containing citronella oil as active ingredient were conducted against House flies, Musca domestica in dumpster (skip). A big skip with heavy fly infestation was selected from the slaughterhouse in Al Yahar district for the study. The skip was divided into three portions and named A, B & C. Portion A was treated with Boom, portion C was treated with Zig Zag and portion B (middle portion) was kept as Control. Hand held B&G sprayer was used to apply the insecticides. Pre-treatment count of house flies was taken from the skip and post-treatment counts were taken after 1 hour, 24 hours and 48 hours. The results showed drastic reduction of house flies in the treated areas. Knock down effect was noted in the area treated with Boom as few house flies were found dead within 10 minutes after treatment. Both the insecticides showed repellent action as flies were noted avoiding the treated areas and preferred to land on the control portion only. Within 24 hours the portion treated with Boom was noted with approximately 250 dead flies and the portion treated with Zig Zag was noted with around 300 dead flies. Even after 48 hours the flies that landed on the treated surfaces showed effects of poisoning.
RESULTS
The organic insecticides used against M. domestica, succeeded in controlling fly population within 24 hours of treatment. Both the insecticides showed very good repellent action immediately after the treatment as the house flies avoided the portions treated with both the insecticides and preferred to stay on the Control portion. Boom showed knock down effect by effecting fly mortality (small percentage) in 10 minutes. Both the insecticides showed good performance in controlling house flies by effecting high number of fly mortality in 24 hours.
CONCLUSIONS
The trial result shows that both the organic insecticides controlled flies effectively. Fast knock-down action gives Boom a slight edge over Zig Zag.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Since both Boom and Zig Zag showed efficiency in controlling house flies, both the organic pesticides are good to be used for fly control treatments.
