DIPTERAN DIVERSITY AND SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF PEST DIPTERA IN

WASHINGTON STATE CATTLE PASTURES, 2006-2007

Holly Ferguson, Richard Zack, Sally O’Neal, and Douglas Walsh

Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research & Extension Center

24106 N. Bunn Road, Prosser, WA 99350

Food Web for Arthropods in Cattle DungFood Web for Arthropods in Cattle Dung

Modified from Skidmore (1991)

Predatory beetles and mites

Dung-feeding beetles

Fungivorousinsects

Predatory flies

Mixed-diet flies

Parasitic wasps

Dung-feedingflies

Cattle dungCattle dungCattle dungCattle dungFungiFungiFungiFungi

Fly Pests of Cattle: Muscidae

Dung-feeding FliesFace fly: common vector of pinkeye, reduces weight gain & milk productionHorn fly: biting pest, causes bunching, reduces feeding, reduces weight gain, threshold is 200/animalStable fly: biting pest, causes bunching, reduces feeding, reduces weight gain, threshold is 10/animal

Musca Musca autumnalisautumnalis

HaematobiaHaematobiairritansirritans

StomoxysStomoxyscalcitranscalcitrans

Fly Pests of Cattle: Simuliidae

Called black flies, buffalo gnatsBreed in flowing waterBiting pest, nuisance, large numbers can kill

Fly Pests of Cattle: Culicidae

MosquitoesBreed in aquatic habitatsBiting pest, causes bunching, reduces feeding, reduces weight gain, vector of pathogens

Fly Pests of Cattle: Tabanidae

Deer flies and horse fliesBreed in moist habitats-organic matter, larvae feed on other invertebrates, detritus?Biting pest, reduces weight gain, bite puncture wounds can damage hide

Fly Pests of Cattle: Ceratopogonidae

Biting midges, punkies, “no-see-ums”Breed in moist habitatsBiting pest, vector of blue tongue virus disease

Fly Pests of Cattle: Oestridae

Northern cattle grub, common cattle grubAdults are called heel flies, resemble bees, cause “gadding”Larvae burrow into skin, migrate through body and pop out on back (myiasis), causing damage to hide

Counties SampledCounties Sampledin 2006in 2006

SnohomishSnohomish

WhitmanWhitman

BentonBentonYakimaYakima

KittitasKittitas

(2)(2)

(1)(1)

(2)(2)(1)(1)

(2)(2)

Counties SampledCounties Sampledin 2007in 2007

SkagitSkagit

KittitasKittitas

BentonBenton

YakimaYakima

WhitmanWhitmanGrantGrant

(3)(3)

(2)(2)

(1)(1)

(1)(1)

(2)(2)

(1)(1)

Trapping and Sampling Methods: Flies

yellow sticky cardyellow sticky cardyellow sticky cardyellow sticky card

sticky stable sticky stable fly trapfly trapsticky stable sticky stable fly trapfly trap

baited fly bottle trapbaited fly bottle trapbaited fly bottle trapbaited fly bottle trap

QuickBayt™ QuickBayt™ bait stationbait stationQuickBayt™ QuickBayt™ bait stationbait station

COCO22 baited baitedmosquito trapmosquito trapCOCO22 baited baitedmosquito trapmosquito trap

aerial netaerial netsweep net of foragesweep net of foragesweep net around cattlesweep net around cattle

aerial netaerial netsweep net of foragesweep net of foragesweep net around cattlesweep net around cattle

pane trappane trappane trappane trap

Face flies on polled Hereford

Tom Harvey, K-StateTom Harvey, K-State

Table 1. Dipteran families with cattle pest members found in cattle pasture trap and net samples, Washington State, 2006 -2008. Sampling method

Family (in alphabetical

order) County

Yellow sticky card

Sticky stable fly trap

Alsynite trap

Baited fly bot tle

trap

Pane trap

Sweep net around cattle*

Sweep net of forage

Aerial net*

CO 2 trap*

Ceratopogonidae All present present ? ? ? present present Chloropidae All present ? ? ? ? present present Culicidae All present present present ? ? present prese nt Muscidae All present present present present present present present present Oestridae Grant ,

Yakima present ? ? ? ? present

S imuliidae All pres ent ? ? ? ? pres ent pres ent pres ent

Tabanidae Benton, Kittitas ,

Whitman

pres ent pres ent ? ? ?

*Benton County s ites only.

Horn flies on black baldie

Table 2. Muscid pests found in cattle pasture trap and net samples, Washington State, 2006 -2008. Sampling method

Species County Baited fly bottle trap

Yellow sticky card

Sticky stable fly

trap

Sweet net around cattle

Sweep net of forage Aerial net* *

Face fly All present?* present present present present present Horn fly All ? present present present present

Stable fly All ? present present present *possibly house fly **Benton County sites only.

Advantages and disadvantages of sampling methods

Sampling method Advantages Disadvantages Best for

Aerial net catches flying insects, simple equipment difficult to use around bovines,

indiscriminate catch

Alsynite trap catches flying insects, capture

accumulates rapidly expensive, sticky, indiscriminate

catch face fly, stable fly,

horn fly (a few)

Baited “wet” fly bottle trap catches flying insects, capture accumulates rapidly, inexpensive

extremely malodorous, catches primarily decomposer flies, difficult

to maintain, difficult to process sample

calliphorids

“Beetle float” Easy to obtain sample, low cost, catches all beetle families of interest

somewhat smelly, somewhat difficult to process sample

dung -inhabiting beetles

CO 2 trap easy to set up, specifically catches biting flies of interest expensive, CO 2 bait short -lasting Mosquito , black fly

Dung -baited above ground trap

catches ground arthropods difficult to maintain, dung bait

short -lasting, attractive to dogs and calves

Dung -baited pitfall trap catches mainly dung -related arthropods difficult to construct and maintain, dung bait s hort -lasting, attractive

to dogs and calves

dung -inhabiting beetles

Pane trap catches flying insects, can determine

flight direction expensive, difficult to set up,

indiscriminate catch

Pitfall trap (unbaited) catches ground arthropods, easy to construc t and maintain

can get flooded out, indiscriminate ground catch, attractive to dogs

QuickBayt™ bait station easy to set up, catches house flies only bait useless when wet

Sticky stable fly trap catches flying insects, capture accumulates rapidly

expens ive, sticky, indiscriminate catch

stable fly

Sweep net easy to use scares cattle fly pests

Yellow sticky card catches flying insects, capture accumulates rapidly, inexpensive

sticky, indiscriminate catch, attractive to calves

face fly, stable fly, horn fly (a few)

Tethinidae

43 fly families represented in the traps and samples from the cattle environment

Food Web for Arthropods in Cattle DungFood Web for Arthropods in Cattle Dung

Modified from Skidmore (1991)

Predatory beetles and mites

Dung-feeding beetles

Fungivorousinsects

Predatory flies

Mixed-diet flies

Parasitic wasps

Dung-feedingflies

Cattle dungCattle dungFungiFungi

Dipteran Habitats• Dung• Decaying

vegetation• Decomposing

animals• Fungi• Grass and other

plants• Moist or aquatic

habitats• Parasites &

predators

Yellow Sticky Card Fly CapturesYellow Sticky Card Fly CapturesWest of the Cascade MountainsWest of the Cascade Mountains

Date

Blac

k Fly

Stab

le F

ly

Mus

ca sp

.9-

299-

239-8

8-31

8-23

8-128-4

7-27

7-20

7-137-8

6-25

6-166-

86-

15-

245-

189-

299-

239-8

8-31

8-23

8-128-

47-

277-

207-

137-8

6-25

6-166-8

6-1

5-24

5-18

9-29

9-239-8

8-31

8-23

8-128-4

7-27

7-20

7-137-8

6-25

6-166-

86-

15-

245-

18

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Skagit County, 2007

Date

Blac

k Fl

y

Stab

le Fly

Mus

ca sp

.10

-49-

138-

308-

1610

-49-

138-

308-

1610

-49-

138-

308-

16

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Snohomish County, 2006

Hereford Hereford with blind with blind eyeeye

Yellow Sticky Card Fly CapturesEast of the Cascade MountainsKittitas and Yakima Counties

Date

Blac

k Fly

Stab

le Fly

Mus

ca sp

.9-

249-6

8-22

8-158-

98-

17-

267-

177-

117-5

6-27

6-20

6-136-

65-

309-

249-6

8-22

8-158-

98-

17-

267-

177-

117-5

6-27

6-20

6-136-

65-

309-

249-6

8-22

8-158-

98-

17-

267-

177-

117-5

6-27

6-20

6-136-

65-

30

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Yakima County, 2007

Date

Blac

k Fly

Stab

le F

ly

Mus

ca sp.

9-25

9-129-6

8-22

8-158-

98-

17-

267-

177-

117-5

6-27

6-20

6-136-6

5-30

5-22

9-25

9-129-

68-

228-

158-9

8-1

7-26

7-17

7-117-

56-

276-

206-

136-6

5-30

5-22

9-25

9-129-6

8-22

8-158-

98-

17-

267-

177-

117-5

6-27

6-20

6-136-6

5-30

5-22

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Kittitas County, 2007

Fresh sticky Fresh sticky card on card on fencelinefenceline

Sticky card Sticky card collected collected and and identifedidentifed

Yellow Sticky Card Fly CapturesEast of the Cascade Mountains

Benton and Grant Counties

Date

Blac

k Fl

y

Stab

le Fly

Mus

ca sp

.9-

189-5

8-21

8-148-

77-

317-

247-

199-

189-5

8-21

8-148-

77-

317-

247-

199-

189-5

8-21

8-148-

77-

317-

247-

19

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Grant County, 2007Date

Blac

k Fly

Stab

le F

ly

Mus

ca sp

.9-

209-

139-6

8-30

8-24

8-168-8

8-2

7-26

7-18

7-117-

56-

276-

196-

126-4

5-27

9-20

9-139-

68-

308-

248-

168-8

8-2

7-26

7-18

7-117-5

6-27

6-19

6-126-4

5-27

9-20

9-139-6

8-30

8-24

8-168-8

8-2

7-26

7-18

7-117-

56-

276-

196-

126-4

5-27

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

Mean flies/day/trap

Sticky Card Fly Captures, Benton County, 2007

ConclusionsSticky traps catch a diversity of flies and are useful for tracking the relative abundance of face/house fly, stable fly, and black fly.Horn fly difficult to trap with methods used; digital photography is currently being used to assess horn fly abundance.Slightly more pest flies were trapped on sticky cards at east side locations, reasons unclear.

SammySammy

2008 Mascot2008 Mascot

WSU-RMA Beef Cattle ProjectWSU-RMA Beef Cattle Project

Counties SampledCounties Sampledin 2008in 2008

SkagitSkagit

IslandIsland

San San JuanJuan

KittitasKittitas

YakimaYakima BentonBenton

WhitmanWhitman

(1)(1)

(1)(1)

(3)(3)

(2)(2)

(2)(2)(4)(4)

(1)(1)

AcknowledgementsWe gratefully acknowledge the USDA, FCIC Risk Management Agency for funding this project. Technical assistance by Jackie Gregory, Mary Pearson, Megan Juzeler, Rebecca Razey, Tessa Andrews, Kathryn Holden, Nicole Grove, and Crystal Adams was greatly appreciated.

And we especially thank the Happy Cows of Washington State!!And we especially thank the Happy Cows of Washington State!!And we especially thank the Happy Cows of Washington State!!And we especially thank the Happy Cows of Washington State!!