Evaluation of larvicides in developing management guidelines for long-term control of pest blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) along the Orange River, South Africa

In 2000 and 2001 Orange River levels were higher than normal: associated serious outbreaks of blackfly had a substantial detrimental impact on the local economy. The poor control was attributed to the suspected development of larval resistance to temephos. A long-term solution to blackfly control, through the identification of a suitable replacement to temephos for use during high flow conditions, was proposed. This study, however, failed to identify or register a suitable larvicide for use during high flow conditions. Although permethrin was highly effective against blackfly larvae, it was rejected because of its detrimental impacts on non-target fauna. Various formulations of locally produced dry Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (B.t.i.) were tested, but these were ineffective against blackflies. The study also confirmed that resistance to temephos has developed among Simulium chutteri in the middle and lower Orange River. The feasibility of "reversing" the resistance to temephos through the use of the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was investigated, but the results were not favourable. Furthermore, PBO was highly toxic to blackflies and non-target organisms, and was not recommended for further testing. This means that B.t.i. currently remains the only symptomatic measure of treatment currently applied. Although resistance to B.t.i. has not been reported for blackflies elsewhere in South Africa, there is a need to remain vigilant and to implement an operational strategy that minimizes the risks of resistance developing.

Influence of temperature on microsporidia infections in a natural population of Simulium pertinax Kollar, 1832 (Diptera; Simuliidae)

During the studies involving the correlation between the water temperature of the breeding site of Simulium pertinax larvae and the infection prevalence by microsporidia, developed in the Andorinhas river, Magé, RJ, weekly samples of blackfly larvae were taken within a two-year period (2001-2002 and 2003-2004), and it was noticed that the infections by Amblyospora sp. were more prevalent when compared to infections by Polydispyrenia sp. in larvae. It was also observed that the infections do not follow the same pattern, since the genus Amblyospora was recorded almost every month during the study with the exception of December, 2001. In the results of correlation between the environmental water temperature and the microsporidia infection rates, it was observed that for the first period studied, there was a high negative correlation, while during the second period there was absence correlation. On the other hand, the Amblyospora sp. infection rates prove that the correlation was high and significant in the first period, but was not significant in the second sampling period and Polydispyrenia sp. showed absence correlation in both periods.