Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1976 Effects of the Insect Growth Regulator Methoprene on Natural Populations of Non-Target Aquatic Organisms in Louisiana Intermediate Marsh Habitats. Thomas Paul Breaud Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Breaud, Thomas Paul, "Effects of the Insect Growth Regulator Methoprene on Natural Populations of Non-Target Aquatic Organisms in Louisiana Intermediate Marsh Habitats." (1976). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2950. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2950 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. 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Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 76-28,791 BREAUD, Thomas Paul, 1949- EFFECTS OF THE INSECT GROWTH REGULATOR METHOPRENE ON NATURAL POPULATIONS OF NON-TARGET AQUATIC ORGANISMS IN LOUISIANA INTERMEDIATE MARSH HABITATS. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1976 Entomology Xerox University Microfilms,Ann Arbor, Michigan 4B106 EFFECTS OF THE INSECT GROWTH REGULATOR METHOPRENE ON NATURAL POPULATIONS OF NON-TARGET AQUATIC ORGANISMS IN LOUISIANA INTERMEDIATE MARSH HABITATS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Entomology by Thomas Paul Breaud B.S., Louisiana State University, 1971 M.S., Louisiana State University, 1973 August 6, 1976 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr, C. D. Steelman, my major professor, for his advice, guidance and encouragement throughout my graduate career. Thanks go to Drs. L. D. Newson, H. C, Chapman, K. C. Corkum, J. B. Graves, C. L. Meek and P. E. Schilling for service on my graduate committee. Due to the scope and magnitude of this research project the aquatic sampler, sampling techniques, identification of the aquatic organisms, and the experimental design used was developed by the combined efforts of Capt. Joseph E. Farlow, Dr. Dayton Steelman, Dr. Prentis E. Schilling and myself, I would like to thank Zoecon Corporation for supplying the methoprene used in this study and the personnel of the Cameron Parish Mosquito Control District No. 1 for their aid in flying on the treatments and collecting the samples. Mr. Mike Carroll of the Botany Department, Louisiana State University, aided in the vegetation transect and with plant identification. Mrs. Sammy Cassano and Mrs. Jeannie O'Neal patiently typed the manuscript. A very special thanks goes to my wife, Jody, for her encouragement and support. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE ............................................................. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................ iii LIST OF TABLES.................................................... v LIST OF F I G U R E S................................... vi ABSTRACT........................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................... 3 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.......................................... 5 General .................................................... 5 Early work - mosquitoes...................................... 5 Mosquitoes - Susceptibility Studies and Practical Control. 6 Methoprene.................................................. 11 Methoprene in the Environment............................... 13 Non-targets. ........................................ 15 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................. 20 Location and Description of the Study Site . .............. 20 Treatments ..... ........................................ 23 Aquatic Sampler and Sample Technique . ................... 23 Laboratory Processing........................... 24 Statistical Analysis ........................................ 26 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................... 28 Organisms C o l l e c t e d ......................... 28 Seasonal Distribution Information........................... 28 Treatment Effects ........................... 87 M e t h o d s .................................................... 118 Aquatic Sampler and SampleProcessing .................. 118 Statistical Analysis ..................... 120 iii Page CONCLUSIONS...................................................... 12^ LITERATURE CITED .............................................. 126 APPENDIX ..................................... L32 VITA .................... 135 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Alphabetical list of predominant plant species found in 22 the Louisiana marsh study site in October 1975.......... 2. Checklist of aquatic organisms collected in an inter­ 29 mediate marsh in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, May 14 1974 - October 26, 1975 ................................. 3. Incidence of aquatic organisms collected sporadically 34 in Louisiana intermediate marsh habitats, ........ 4. Aquatic organism populations not significantly (P>0.05) 48 reduced by exposure to six applications of methoprene (28 gm Al/ha) over an 18 month period in Louisiana marsh habitats............................................ 5. Populations of aquatic organisms significantly reduced 65 after exposure to six applications of methoprene (28 gm Al/ha) over an 18 month period in Louisiana marsh habitats.................................................. 6. Analysis of variance for populations of nontarget aquatic 89 organisms significantly reduced after exposure to six applications of methoprene (28 gm Al/ha) over an 18 month period in Louisiana marsh habitats................. 7. Analysis of variance for nontarget aquatic organism 107 populations not significantly (P>0.05) reduced after exposure to six applications of methoprene (28 gm Al/ha) over an 18 month period in Louisiana marsh habitats . v LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Aerial photograph of test site 3.2 km northeast of Grand Chenier, Louisiana ................................. 21 2. Average number of Liodessus affinis adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975. 78 3. Average number of Enochrus blatchlevi adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975 .............................................. 79 4. Average number of Laccophilus proximus adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975 .............. 80 5. Average number of Lissorhoptrus adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975 .......... 81 6. Average number of Tropisternus lateralis adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975 .............................................. 82 7. Average number of Trichocorixa louisianae adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975 .............................................. 83 8. Average number of Procambarus clarki and Cambarellus sp adults and immatures collected from the study site. May 1974 - October 1975.................................... 84 9. Average number of Gambusia affinis and Heterandria formosa adults and immatures collected from the study site. May