Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of livestock manures on the fitness of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) is one of the major pests of confined and pastured livestock worldwide. Livestock manures play an important role in the development and spread of M. domestica. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different livestock manures on the fitness and relative growth rate of M. domestica and intrinsic rate of natural increase. We tested the hypotheses by studying life history parameters including developmental time from egg to adult's eclosion, fecundity, longevity, and survival on manures of buffalo, cow, nursing calf, dog, horse, poultry, sheep, and goat, which revealed significant differences that might be associated with fitness costs. The maggots reared on poultry manure developed faster compared to any other host manure. The total developmental time was the shortest on poultry manure and the longest on horse manure. The fecundity by females reared on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures was greater than on any other host manures. Similarly, percent survival of immature stages, pupal weight, eggs viability, adults' eclosion, survival and longevity, intrinsic rate of natural increase, and biotic potential were significantly higher on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures compared to any other livestock manures tested. However, the sex ratio of adult flies remained the same on all types of manures. The low survival on horse, buffalo, cow, sheep, and goat manures suggest unsuitability of these manures, while the higher pupal weight on poultry, nursing calf, and dog manures suggest that these may provide better food quality to M. domestica compared with any other host manures. Our results point to the role of livestock manures in increasing local M. domestica populations. Such results could help to design cultural management strategies which may include sanitation, moisture management, and manure removal.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed S, Wilkins RM (2001) Effect of insecticide resistance on the biology of Musca domestica. L. strains. Pak J Agric Sci 38:1–2

    Google Scholar 

  • Aluja M, Boller EF (1992) Host marking pheromone of Rhagoletis cerasi: field deployment of synthetic pheromone as a novel cherry fruit fly management strategy. Entomol Exp Appl 65:141–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Analytical Software, Statistix version 8.1: User's manual. Analytical Software, Tallahassee, Florida; 2005.

  • Armbruster P, Hutchinson RA (2002) Pupal mass and wing length as indicators of fecundity in Aedes albopictus and Aedes geniculatus (Diptera: Culicidae). J Med Entomol 39:699–704

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Awmack CS, Leather SR (2002) Host plant quality and fecundity in herbivorous insects. Annu Rev Entomol 47:817–844

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bary A, Cogger C, Sullivan DM (2004) Fertilizing with manure. A pacific northwest extension publication, Washington State University pp 1-13

  • Bell HA, Robinson KA, Weaver RJ (2010) First report of cyromazine resistance in a population of UK house fly (Musca domestica) associated with intensive livestock production. Pest Manag Sci 66:693–695

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birch LC (1948) The intrinsic rate of natural increase of an insect population. J Anim Ecol 17:15–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook D, Dadour I, Keals N (1999) Stable fly, house fly (Diptera: Muscidae), and other nuisance fly development in poultry litter associated with horticultural crop production. J Econ Entomol 92:1352–1357

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cosse AA, Baker TC (1996) House flies and pig manure volatiles: wind tunnel behavioural studies and electrophysiological evaluations. J Agric Entomol 13:301–307

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farkas R, Hogsette J, Börzönyi L (1998) Development of Hydrotaea aenescens and Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) in poultry and pig manure of different moisture content. Environ Entomol 27:695–699

    Google Scholar 

  • Fatchurochim S, Geden CJ, Axtell RC (1989) Filth fly (Diptera) oviposition and larval development in poultry manure of various moisture levels. J Entomol Sci 24:224–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrar P (1987) A guide to the breeding habits and immature stages of Diptera Cyclorrhapha. Entomonograph 8:907

    Google Scholar 

  • Förster M, Klimpel S, Mehlhorn H, Sievert K, Messler S, Pfeffer K (2007) Pilot studies on synantropic flies (e.g. Musca, Sarcophaga, Calliphora, Fania, Lucilia, Stomoxys) as vectors of pathogenic microorganisms. Parasitol Res 101:243–246

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foster SP (1997) Harris MO (1997) Behavioural manipulation methods for insect pest management. Annu Rev Entomol 42:123–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Graczyk TK, Knight R, Gilman RH, Cranfield MR (2002) The role of non-biting flies in the epidemiology of human infectious diseases. Microbiol Infect 3:231–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg SM, Sappington TW, Legaspi BC, Liu TX, Setamou M (2001) Feeding and life history of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on different host plants. Ann Entomol Soc Am 94:566–575

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hogsette J (1996) Development of house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in sand containing varying amounts of manure solids and moisture. J Econ Entomol 89:940–945

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jermy T (1990) Prospects of antifeedant approach to pest control—a critical review. J Chem Ecol 16:3151–3166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman PE, Nunez S, Mann RS, Geden CJ, Scharf ME (2010) Nicotinoid and pyrethroid insecticide resistance in houseflies (Diptera: Muscidae) collected from Florida dairies. Pest Manag Sci 66:290–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lacey EP (1998) What is an adaptive environmentally induced parental effect? In: Mousseau TA, Fox CW (eds) Maternal effects as adaptations. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 54–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam K, Geisreiter C, Gries G (2009) Ovipositing female house flies provision offspring larvae with bacterial food. Entomol Exp Appl 133:292–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Learmount J, Chapman P, Macnicoll A (2002) Impact of an insecticide resistance strategy for house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) control in intensive animal units in the United Kingdom. J Econ Entomol 95:1245–1250

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malik A, Singh N, Satya S (2007) House Fly (Musca domestica): a review of control strategies for a challenging pest. J Environ Sci Health 42:453–469

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moon R, Hinton J, O'Rourke S, Schmidt D (2001) Nutritional value of fresh and composted poultry manure for house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae. J Econ Entomol 94:1308–1317

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mullens B, Szij C, Hinkle N (2002) Oviposition and development of Fannia spp. (Diptera: Muscidae) on poultry manure low moisture levels. Environ Entomol 31:588–593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers HM, Tomberlin JK, Lambert BD, Kattes D (2008) Development of black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae fed dairy manure. Environ Entomol 37:11–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palacios SM, Bertoni A, Rossi Y, Santander R, Urzua A (2009) Insecticidal properties of essential oils from native medicinal plants of Central Argentina against the house fly, Musca domestica (L.). Parasitol Res 106:207–212

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pastor B, Cickova H, Kozanek M, Matinez-Sanchez A, Takac P, Rojo S (2011) Effect of the size of the pupae, adult diet, oviposition substrate and adult population density on egg production in Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae). Eur J Entomol 108:587–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Patricia LS, Claudio SF (2008) House fly (Musca domestica L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) development in different types of manure. Chilean J Agric Res 68:192–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinovich JE (1972) Vital statistics of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) under laboratory conditions. J Med Ent 4:351–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Radford PJ (1967) Growth analysis formulae—their use and abuse. Crop Sci 7:171–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saeed R, Sayyed AH, Shad SA, Zaka SM (2010) Effect of different host plants on the fitness of diamond-back moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Crop Prot 29:178–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott JG, Alefantis TG, Kaufman PE, Rutz DA (2000) Insecticide resistance in house flies from caged layer poultry facilities. Pest Manage Sci 56:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sehgal R, Bhatti HP, Bhasin DK, Sood AK, Nada R, Malla N, Singh K (2002) Intestinal myiasis due to Musca domestica: a report of two cases. Jpn J Infect Dis 55:191–193

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singh OP, Parihar SBB (1988) Effect of different hosts on the development of Heliothis armigera. Hub Bull Entomol Res 29:2168–2172

    Google Scholar 

  • Siriwattanarungsee S, Sukontason KL, Olson JK, Chailapakul O, Sukontason K (2008) Efficacy of neem extract against the blowfly and housefly. Parasitol Res 103:535–544

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The work presented in the manuscript is part of a PhD research project of the first author (HAAK). Funds provided by the Higher Education Commission Pakistan to perform the study are highly acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan

    Hafiz Azhar Ali Khan & Sarfraz Ali Shad

  2. Department of Agri. Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Waseem Akram

Authors
  1. Hafiz Azhar Ali Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sarfraz Ali Shad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Waseem Akram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hafiz Azhar Ali Khan, Sarfraz Ali Shad or Waseem Akram.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khan, H.A.A., Shad, S.A. & Akram, W. Effect of livestock manures on the fitness of house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae). Parasitol Res 111, 1165–1171 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2947-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2947-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation