START: 15 APR 2002 TERM: 14 APR 2005 FY: 2004 GRANT YR: 2002
GRANT AMT: $104,092
INVESTIGATOR: Rutz, D. A.; Kaufman, P. E.; Waldron, J. K.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
ENTOMOLOGY
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
ITHACA, NEW YORK 14853
DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE DARKLING BEETLE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR POULTRY PRODUCERS IN THE NORTHEAST
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Darkling beetles are associated with poultry production because they live and breed in the manure. Development of alternative methods of darkling beetle management is the subject of this project. This project investigates new and existing manure management technologies and their impact on darkling beetle populations. Pest management is critical prior and subsequent to land application of manure.
OBJECTIVES: Research: 1. Determine the resistance status of Alphitobius diaperinus to three commercially available insecticides. 2. Evaluate non-insecticidal, in-house management strategies for control of A. diaperinus. 3. Evaluate non-insecticidal, outdoor management strategies for control of A. diaperinus. Extension: 1. Strengthen existing and develop new relationships with leading producers that ensure adoption of research results. 2. Develop new and relevant Extension print and web publications based on the latest research results. 3. Disseminate research results to multipliers across the region and nation.
APPROACH: Objective (1) Darkling beetle resistance status will be determined on 4 farms in NY and ME using a serial dilution of technical-based insecticides. Adult and larval beetles will be assayed for susceptibility to tetrachlorvinphos, carbaryl and cyfluthrin. Producers at each location will be surveyed for past insecticide use. A concurrent evaluation of darkling beetle susceptibility to formulated materials will be performed. This method involves treatment of squares of weathered plywood with labeled rates of formulated insecticides. Objective (2) We will evaluate a mechanical barrier, the "Beetle Barrier," under New England conditions. In each facility mechanical barriers consisting of bands of polyethylene terepthalate resin will be attached to wooden posts by caulk adhesive and staples. Emigrating beetles will be monitored by stapling corrugated cardboard in a collar located immediately above or below the barriers on each selected post 6-8 months after barrier installation. The cardboard traps will be removed after 7 days and the beetles counted. Cardboard traps will be placed monthly thereafter until the birds are removed. The number of fly specks will be counted in a random area below each trap prior to the placement of the monthly monitoring cardboard. Following removal of the flock, barriers on one side of the facility and one-half the posts will be washed with water to remove fly spots. This will demonstrate barrier effectiveness and the need for cleaning. Several farms have been identified in NY that utilize in-house composting as their manure management strategy. Manure will be sampled weekly for presence of arthropods. Additional samples will be returned to the laboratory to determine the suitability of the substrate to breed flies. Objective (3) An evaluation of outdoor composting will be conducted. We will sample manure for darkling beetles monthly from April through October. Samples will be returned to the laboratory and examined for house fly breeding potential. Manure from NY caged-layer poultry facilities infested with darkling beetles will be removed from buildings and a minimum of five piles will be formed outdoors. Core samples will be taken and beetles enumerated. Temperatures will be monitored with data loggers. Piles will be covered with a tarp and sealed. Core samples will be taken 1, 3, 7, 14 and, if necessary, 21 days after tarping. Live adult and immature beetles will be extracted and counted. Poultry manure containing all life stages of darkling beetles will be collected from caged-layer houses and loaded into a rear delivery manure spreader. The soil and soil conditions (moisture, etc) will be characterized prior to manure application. Manure will be spread onto approximately 500 square feet of field following CAFO regulations. Treatments will be assigned to the 10 by 50-ft rows and replicated 4-5 times. Treatments will include: control (no incorporation), mulch till, disk, and moldboard plow. Following land application beetles will be monitored using emergence traps, pitfall traps and sticky cylinder traps. Traps will be examined on day 8, 14, 18, 21 and 25.
PROGRESS: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
Darkling beetles are associated with poultry production because they live and
breed in the manure. The development of alternative methods of darkling beetle
management is the subject of this project. This project investigates new and
existing manure management technologies and their impact on darkling beetle
populations. Pest management is critical prior and subsequent to land application
of manure. Insecticide resistance status of beetles has been determined for
4 field strains from NY and ME. Mechanical barrier studies continued in 2004,
with sampling in NY and ME. Extensive sampling for darkling beetles and house
flies in manure processed through in-house composting systems also continued
in 2004, where 5 facilities on 2 farms were monitored weekly. Darkling beetles
were recovered; however, numbers remained low throughout the summer. Conversely,
house fly numbers were lower than observed in 2003, largely owing to better
moisture management by producers. Darkling beetle and house fly activity in
manure/compost under out-of-house composting management was monitored weekly
on 2 farms utilizing slightly different methodologies. Out-of-house systems
produced fewer flies than the in-house systems while darkling beetle numbers
were negligible. Although eggs were laid, house flies were unable to develop
in true composted poultry manure. A final manure incorporation study was conducted
in 2004. The Cornell University veterinary entomology web site has been updated.
IMPACT: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
Darkling beetles are pestiferous in the larval and adult stages to both the
poultry producer and to neighbors living near manure-applied fields. These results
will be critical in demonstrating to poultry producers the effective mechanisms
available to reduce darkling beetle impacts on their operations.
PUBLICATIONS: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
No publications reported this period
PROJECT CONTACT:
Name: Decker, D. J.
Phone: 607-255-2224
Fax: 607-255-9499
Email: cuaes@cornell.edu