- November 30, 2010 Volume 3, Issue 4 Veterinary Entomology

Insect Updates Special Interest Articles: Winter Pests As many might have noticed Many people will start to use not be needed for fly control in Christmas is less than a barns or stalls more frequently most parts of Texas in the • Winter Pests month away now, and with in the winter to help keep cattle winter as long as manure is

that comes the cold/cool warm, especially calves, and managed properly. • Bacteria House weather and winter pests. this is where fly problems will Flies Other arthropods that can be be an issue in addition to other One nice thing about winter is issue in the winter and will jointed-leg critters (lice, ticks, • Mosquitoes that fly control will not be top warrant pesticide usage are mites). priority as long as we keep lice, mites, and ticks. Bringing • Revised having these cold mornings Using barns/stalls in the winter the cattle together in close Trichomoniasis Regulations and cooler weather in the day. is a great idea but it is quarters helps them keep The flies are still around and necessary to keep them clean warm but it also helps them will be present during the day by removing manure on a spread these pests much when the temperature gets up weekly basis or more often. faster. Be sure all animals are past 55ºF, but densities will be This will keep fly densities from lice, mite and tick free before considerably less and the use rising to high and causing mixing with a herd. If any of of pesticides will not be irritation to the cows as well as these pests are encountered, warranted for pastured cattle. blood loss. Pesticides should treat immediately. Bacteria Carrying House Flies Research at the University of infections in humans. Cronobacter sakazaki, Florida (conducted by two of The house flies were collected Methylobacterium persicinum my committee members) has from entrances and trash bins and Staphylococcus sciuri. found five more bacteria outside of restaurants in species that are carried by This new study now puts the Gainesville, FL. A total of 11 Individual house flies. All of the newly number of pathogens on pathogens were found but six Highlights: identified bacteria on house house flies well up over 200! of them had already been flies are capable of causing It is important to control documented. The five new Insect Updates 1 illnesses such as food house flies for better human bacteria are Acinetobacter poisoning and respiratory and animal health Cattle Care 2 baumanni, Bacillus pumilus,

Pesticides 3

Disease/Health 3 Controlling Malaria Mosquitoes

Journal Review 4 Hebrew University researchers semi-arid Bandiagara District were found to have fed on the have developed a new, safe of Mali, West Africa. solution (which was dyed to Special Topics 3 and uncomplicated method to ensure verification). Sites were chosen and baited control malaria mosquitoes. with guava and honey with and The research in Mali shows The research was conducted in without the toxic additive (boric that even a single application Africa after being tested in acid). The solutions were of ATSB can substantially Israel. Attractants of plant sprayed in two different decrease mosquito densities. origin (fruit or flower) were locations, in the treated region This method is powerful, mixed with toxic sugar bait, there was a dramatic 90% effective, technologically referred to as the Attractive reduction in male and female simple, inexpensive and Toxic Sugar Bait Method mosquitoes. The mosquitoes environmentally safe. (ATSB) and applied in the

Veterinary Entomology Page 2 of 5

Cattle Care Revised Trichomoniasis Regulations Changes to Texas’ The ‘virgin certificate’ given to The revisions exempt out-of- trichomoniasis (trich) regulates young bulls has also been state breeding bulls from an went into effect in Nov 2010. As extended from 30 to 60 days to entry trich test if they come many know, trich is a venereal be exempt from testing prior to from Certified Semen Service disease of cattle that causes change of possession. artificial insemination facilities cows to abort and slow to re- and where isolated from No change was made to non- breed. Cows when rested can female cattle. virgin bulls or bulls over 24 clear the disease but bulls are months of age, they still must The final revision will allow infected for life. have a negative trich test within untested, non-virgin TX bulls “Rule changes were in One newly adopted rule is that 30 days of being imported into to be sold and moved to a validity of negative cattle trich TX. Once the animal is in TX, feedlot prior to slaughter. the works in response to recommendations tests will be extended from 30 to the negative test will be good Previously they could only be 60 days provided the bulls are for 60 days provided they are sold directly to slaughter. from the yearly industry- not commingled with heifers or away from females during this

led review of TX trich cows during that period. time. program.”

Pesticides Update/Outlook

Fenoxycarb Canceled EPA has issued that turf, home lawns, agricultural Fenoxycarb products fenoxycarb be canceled by areas, non-agricultural include Award Fire Ant Bait, Livestock/Veterinary December 31, 2012. areas, horse farms, and Fenoxycarb Technical, and Entomology Website Fenoxycarb is a carbamate ornamental nursery stock, Whitmire PT 2120 TF Is Up derivative used to control fire and others. Preclude. ants and big-headed ants on My website is officially online, please take a look. Resmethrin Canceled It is designed to provide Resmethrin has been registration required by EPA The loss of resmethrin could information on the canceled by the American are too costly and exceed the have a big impact on common livestock/ Mosquito Control profit value of the product. mosquito control. veterinary insect pests, as Association, the makers of well as give people an Resmethrin is an effective http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ resmethrin. AMCA says that option to contact me and product against mosquitoes. reregistration/resmethrin the new studies and provide information on upcoming events. Let anyone that might be Interested in Pesticide Tolerance – EPA gives interested know about it and let me know what you you a way to check think. http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/r wants to look up the name egulating/part-180.html permanent tolerance for. The - Pesticide type and family http://livestockvet EPA has updated an online tolerance requirements can ento.tamu.edu tool that makes it easy to also be found by the common - EPA pesticide chemical search the pesticide name of the pesticide or by (PC) code

tolerance information on food the type of pesticide. - Tolerance-specific and feed commodities. The index provides: information about pesticide The site provides a way to - 40 CFR part 180 section chemicals and crop groups by commodity, crop group, locate the Code of Federal - Chemical Abstracts Service or crop subgroup Regulations section numbers (CAS) registry number and for pesticides that a person

Pesticide Stewardship Thank a Farmer

The Center for Integrated person that applies, sells, Sounds like all of us could Do you know that one Pest Management (CIPM) stores, or disposes of benefit from looking at the farmer feeds 155 people?! has launched a new Pesticide pesticides; provides advice site. Environmental Stewardship or training on pesticide use; http://pesticidestewardship.org I can tell you people in (PES) website. or is involved in pesticide NYC didn’t. Here is a little stewardship or regulation. clip of them learning how The site is designed for any much farmers do and giving thanks in return. All farmers should watch to see how much they are Human & Animal Disease & Health appreciated.

Global Warming Does Good http://www.dairyherd.co The warmer weather fleas hanging around their from rodents to humans. m/news_editorial.asp?p occurring in the US is homes. gID=675&ed_id=12794& Causes of plague have having adverse effects on news_id=29137&ts=nl2 The change in climate been low in the US (a the bubonic plague, and this causes the snow to melt dozen or so) with only 1 to is good. The warmer earlier and the soil to dry 3 deaths per year, but with weather has made it more out more, therefore leading the expansion of people difficult for bubonic plague to lowered humidity in the into rural areas, incidences to survive in rodent burrows. burrows. The lower could increase; lowering Since rodents are reservoirs humidity causes the fleas to the number of fleas with for bubonic plague, spread die off. Fleas are the bubonic plague pathogens by fleas, it is great to have carriers of the bacteria is always good. less of the bacteria carrying causing bubonic plague

Another Integrated approach to controlling ticks Ticks are one of the most affluent Brian Allan has noticed that Amur which will lead to a reduction in the transmitters of pathogens that cause honeysuckle, an invasive Asian number of pathogen ticks present in severe human and animal diseases. plant, is a popular meal choice for an area. Fighting ticks can be a costly and white tailed deer the number one This is not a new concept, extensive process. host of the Lone Star Tick. entomologist have been suggesting A researcher from Washington Allan has suggested weeding this kind of control for insects for years University has suggested another areas of the Amur honeysuckle in but this is the first time I have heard way to fight ticks and their diseases order to cut back on the number using this tactic for mammals; sounds – weeding. of attracted white tailed deer, promising.

Milk Rap Video Special Topics of Manure Digesters among Us This is a fun video for revenue generation. done by four young At this year World Dairy Expo, four states. the audience was informed that The hold up to getting adults; a neat way to Reports show that the the US has the potential to more digesters established promote dairy electricity generating hold 3000 to 4000 manure in the US is the many farming. potential is possible by digesters. Many of these policies and financial more manure digesters but would be located on dairy barriers. http://www.elabs3.com/ct. building one is more of an farms. html?rtr=on&s=ikv,18csu, obstacle. It is believed that the policy 2ycc,9k3q,cquv,5i8f,dcxy Currently there are 150 and energy issues will Manure digesters are the manure digesters operating in resolved themselves and only system available to the US, 50% of those are in more digesters will be give people the opportunity made available.

Veterinary Entomology Page 4 of 5

Journal Reviews Detection of target site resistance to pyrethroids and organophosphates in the horn fly using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. 2010. Foil et al. J Med Entomol. 47: 855-861. mutation involved in OP resistance. Horn fly populations from Texas, females having it more often than males. Louisiana, Washington, Georgia, Mexico All populations except Brazil had the The Impact. Having information about and Brazil were evaluated genetically for target site for organophosphate the resistant mutation sites enables known target resistant sites in the DNA. resistance with not gender bias but the researchers to develop more efficient site did not provide the level of resistance ways to control horn flies. All populations were found to have the required, so it is believed there is another pyrethroid-associated mutation with Detection of West Nile virus in stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) parasitizing juvenile American white pelicans. 2010. Johnson et al. J Med Entomol. 47:1205-1211. Stable flies were observed parasitizing Stable flies that had fed on pelican blood The Impact. The stable fly has not prefledged American white pelicans in a were tested of WNV. Sixty tests on been implemented as a transmitter pelican breeding colony in northeast MT unengorged females were run with 18 of pathogens; these results indicate where die-offs due to WNV have coming up positive. Engorged females otherwise and could impact the livestock industry in other ways. occurred since 2002. had 54% test positive for WNV. Purification and characterization of an antimicrobial peptide, insect defensin, from immunized house fly (Diptera: Muscidae). 2010. Dang et al. J Med Entomol. 47: 1141 -1145. The researchers were able to isolate This peptide was isolated and bacteria and fungi. the antimicrobial peptide, insect examined. The researchers confirmed The Impact. Provides evidence and defensin, which was thought to be a that the peptide had high activity insight to how house flies can carry part of the house fly’s immune system. against gram-positive bacteria but many pathogens but not be affected lower activity against gram-negative by them. Adult house fly (Diptera: Muscidae) activity and age of females near varying levels of (Z)-9- Tricosene on a southern California dairy. 2010. Butler & Mullens. J Econ Entomol. 103:1929-1936. Conical screened traps were set up on house flies were collected in the traps house flies collected. a dairy in southern California containing and more flies were collected in the traps The Impact. The house fly baits on either sugar or sugar and (Z)-9- with (Z)-9-tricosene. the market today do work at attracting Tricosene (attractant in house fly baits). Dosage of (Z)-9-tricosene or sugar did house flies and data shows that one is More male house flies than female not have any effect on the number of not more effective than the other.

Comparison of bacterial diversity in wheat bran and in the gut of larvae and newly emerged adult of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) by use of ethidium monoazide reveals bacterial colonization. 2010. Su et al. J Econ Entomol. 103: 1832-1841. The objective of this study was to Altogether 24, 11 and 4 phylotypes were The Impact. This study shows that investigate the bacterial colonization in found in the wheat bran, larvae gut and bacteria are capable of being the house fly larvae and newly eclosed adult, respectfully. Two of the bacteria maintained in the gut throughout adult gut. The wheat bran media was found in large quantities in the larvae gut metamorphosis and spread around also tested for comparison. were detected in the newly emerged further once the fly takes flight. adult flies. Selection for resistance to imidacloprid in the house fly (Diptera: Muscidae). 2010. Kaufman et al. J Econ Entomol. 103: 1937-1942. This study shows that in only five In order to get 70% kill of the fifth The Impact. It is important to rotate all generations an imidacloprid susceptible generation of house flies, more than insecticide products being used on a house fly strain will become resistant. twice the recommended amount of active regular basis (fly baits included). The imidacloprid resistance increased ingredient was necessary. Resistance will develop in all the major fly species (house fly, horn fly and stable 331-fold at an LC70. fly) without pesticide class rotation.

Response of tabanids to Nzi traps baited with octenol, cow urine and phenols in Canada. 2010. Mihok & Mulye. Med Vet Entomol. 24: 266-272. Cow urine and the two addition of octenol regardless if The Impact. This information Sonja L. Swiger, PhD attractant phenols of cow urine urine or phenols were present. will help improve attractants Assist. Professor were compared to octenol in Phenols alone did not collect used in baiting horse flies to

Livestock Extension tabanid bait traps. horse flies, increases occurred traps, the most effective way to

Entomologist Horse fly (tabanids) collections with cow urine alone and with control horse flies. were increased with the cow urine and octenol.

1229 North US Hwy 281 Field effects of faecal residues from ivermectin slow-release boluses on the Stephenville, TX 76401 attractiveness of cattle dung to dung beetles. 2010. Errouissi & Lumaret. Med Vet CELL: Entomol. 24: 433-440. (239) 220-0168 This study utilized pitfall traps With the use of the pitfall traps The Impact. This attractiveness PHONE: baited with manure pats from it was found that the will lead to the demise of dung (254) 968-4144 cows treated with ivermectin ivermectin treated pats where beetles. The adults go to the boluses against manure pats more than twice as attractive treated pats more but they lay E-MAIL: from cows without ivermectin. as the control pats. less eggs and the ensuing larvae [email protected] do not fare as well.

Genetic structure and population dynamics of the biting midges Culicoides

obsoletus and Culicoides scoticus: implications for the transmission and

maintenance of bluetongue. 2010. Pili et al. Med Vet Entomol. 24: 441-448. that they do. The DNA analysis of the two difficult to separate, DNA Culicoides species provides analyses will change that. The Impact. Knowing the information on to their It was unclear as to whether or behavior of the three identification. These two not these species took part in Culicoides species now species are so similar in transmitting Bluetongue (BT) identified by DNA, suggests appearance they have been virus but this study suggests that all three do transmit BTV.

Incrimination of the mosquito, Aedes taeniorhynchus, as the primary vector of heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, in coastal Yucatan, Mexico. 2010. Manrique-Saide et al. Med Vet Entomol. 24: 456-460.

The researchers collected mosquitoes Only A. taeniorhynchus and A. crucians The Impact . This data indicates A. for 18 consecutive nights found feeding were found to have third instar filarial taeniorhynchus as a significant vector of on dogs positive for Dirofilaria sp. Nine nematodes in the midgut. Only the filarial dog heartworm although in America their of the species collected where found to worms in A. taeniorhynchus were found to rate as a carrier is much less. have filarial nematodes in their midgut. be Dirofilaria immitus. Control of Culex quinquefasciatus in a storm drain system in Florida using attractive toxic sugar baits. 2010. Muller et al. Med Vet Entomol. 24: 346-351.

Attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs) were sugar, fruit juice, green dye and boric acid; on the ASBs and 84% females and 87% used to control mosquitoes in storm untreated experiments were treated with males were found to feed on ATSBs. drains of residential areas near St. orange dye. Mosquito larvae were added The Impact. ATSBs are effective Augustine, FL. to the drain and adults were trapped. 87% mosquito control options for storm drain untreated adults were found to have feed Treated experiments consisted of brown systems.

The Gulf Coast tick: A review of the life history, ecology, distribution, and emergence as an arthropod of medical and veterinary importance. 2010. Teel et al. J Med Entomol. 47: 707-722.

This article is a very thorough and in- causing pathogens. wonderful job of further understanding the depth look at the Gulf Coast tick, a The Impact. The article is written by my Gulf Coast ticks importance. major medical and veterinary important colleague Dr. Pete Teel et al. and does a pest known to transmit many disease

Livestock/veterinary website, Now up!! http://livestockvetento.tamu.edu