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ViewAttendees 2

10-Minute Paper

Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology

MUVE: General

A push-pull tactic to manage stable flies on pasture cattle

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
8:00 AM – 8:12 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor 3
In-Person
Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)) are major pests of pasture cattle and are typically managed by an application of an insecticide. However, because of rapid insecticide decay and reinfestation by newly emerged stable flies, weekly retreatments are often needed. As a alternative to repeated insecticide applications, we tested a push-pull strategy using a coconut oil fatty acid-based biopesticide and traps. The traps were visually and olfactorily attractive to stable flies. We found that the push-pull tactic managed stable flies as well as weekly applications of an insecticide and that the efficacy period of the push-pull treatment was equivalent to that of a permethrin treatment. The stable fly traps in the push-pull treatment contributed an estimated 17 to 21 percent of the overall on-animal reduction of stable flies. This is the first proof-of-concept application of a push-pull strategy to stable fly management. It demonstrates the efficacy of a field application of a biopesticide to manage stable flies and points out the potential of stable fly traps in a pasture setting. The push-pull tactic as an alternative to a standard insecticide treatment can assist in slowing the development of insecticide resistance in stable flies.