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Composition of Chemical Attractants Affects Trap Catches of the Australian Sheep Blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, and Other Blowflies

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Abstract

Numbers of Lucilia cuprina (Australian sheep blowfly), Chrysomya spp., and Calliphora spp. blowflies caught on sticky traps baited with various synthetic attractants or a standard liver/sodium sulfide attractant in western Queensland were recorded. Numbers of each genus collected were influenced by the composition of the chemical attractants. Attractant mixtures based on 2-mercaptoethanol, indole, butanoic/pentanoic acid, and a sodium sulfide solution gave 5- to 20-fold higher L. cuprina catches than the liver standard. These blends attracted similar numbers of Chrysomya spp. (0.85–2.7× ) and fewer Calliphora spp. (0.02–0.2× ) compared to the liver standard. These synthetic attractants were more effective and selective for L. cuprina than the standard liver/sodium sulfide attractant, and they can be packaged in controlled-release dispensers to generate constant, prolonged release of the attractant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, Yeerongpilly, Qld 4105, Australia

    Rudolf Urech, Peter E. Green, Geoffrey W. Brown & Frank Duncalfe

  2. P.O. Box 677, Indooroopilly Qld, 4068, Australia

    Martin J. Rice

  3. P.O. Box 1101, Warwick Qld, 4370, Australia

    Philip Webb

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  1. Rudolf Urech
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  2. Peter E. Green
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  3. Martin J. Rice
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  4. Geoffrey W. Brown
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  5. Frank Duncalfe
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  6. Philip Webb
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Urech, R., Green, P.E., Rice, M.J. et al. Composition of Chemical Attractants Affects Trap Catches of the Australian Sheep Blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, and Other Blowflies. J Chem Ecol 30, 851–866 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000028436.64855.5d

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000028436.64855.5d

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