Mating competitiveness of irradiated flies for screwworm fly eradication campaigns

• Published in: Preventive veterinary medicine Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Mayer, David G, Atzeni, Michael G, Stuart, Megan A, Anaman, Kwabena A, Butler, David G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 17.07.1998
• Subjects: ACCOUPLEMENT; Animals; AUSTRALIA; AUSTRALIE; BIOLOGICAL COMPETITION; CHRYSOMYA; COCHLIOMYIA; COMPETENCIA BIOLOGICA; COMPETITION BIOLOGIQUE; Competitive Behavior - physiology; Competitiveness; CONTROL DE INSECTOS; COPULA; COPULATION; Costs and Cost Analysis; DINAMICA DE POBLACIONES; Diptera - physiology; Diptera - radiation effects; DYNAMIQUE DES POPULATIONS; Female; INSECT CONTROL; Insect Control - economics; Insect Control - methods; INSECTE NUISIBLE; INSECTOS DANINOS; LACHER D'INSECTES STERILES; LIBERACION DE INSECTOS ESTERILES; LUTTE ANTIINSECTE; Male; PEST INSECTS; POPULATION DYNAMICS; Reproduction - physiology; Screw Worm Infection - prevention & control; Screw Worm Infection - veterinary; Screwworm fly; STERILE INSECT RELEASE; Sterile insect technique; Australia; Population dynamics; Sterile insect technique; Screwworm fly; Competitiveness
• ISSN: 0167-5877; 1873-1716
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5877(98)00078-6

Should the screwworm fly invade Australia, the sterile insect technique (as used successfully overseas) is currently the only feasible method of eradication. Used in conjunction with chemical control methods, it relies on large numbers of factory-reared, sterilized males competing successfully with wild males for the wild females. However, laboratory and field studies have shown that the processes of mass rearing, irradiation and distribution seriously impair the competitiveness of the sterilized flies. This study collates and analyses the relatively sparse information on the relative mating competitiveness of sterilized screwworm flies, from both controlled experiments and large-scale field studies. A population dynamics example then demonstrates that competitiveness will be a key parameter in the effectiveness and economic feasibility of any future eradication campaign.