Gas Propelled Aerosols and Micronized Dusts Against Caribbean Fruit Flies in Simulated Aircraft Tests 1971 - 1973

In 1971, 1972, and 1973 aircraft disinsection tests were made against the Caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) in Miami, FL. This screening program was made to select promising insecticides for use on international aircraft flights to control the spread of fruit flies into or out of the United States. In 1971 and 1972 free flying insects were used (ca. 800 insects released/test). In 1973 flies were encaged in openended, screened pint ice cream cartons (4 cages with ca. 200 flies/cage). The 4 cages were attached to walls at various locations within test space. Semi trailers of 2000 to 2500 ft"* capacities were used to simulate aircraft volumes in 1971-72; in 1973, tests were done in empty rooms in an abandoned military barrack building. Test insects were laboratory reared, 1 to 2 week-old fruit flies. Insecticides were formulated as aerosols or dusts. Aerosols were applied from conventional aerosol spray cans; dusts were "shot" from a cartridge by a CO2 or compressed air charge. Insects were removed from the treated area at 30 minutes after insecticide release (10 minutes in the closed test space plus 20 minutes with 1 door opened for ventilation of treated space). Knock Down (KD) was recorded at 30 minutes and fly mortality at 24 hours posttreatment. In residue tests, the flies were exposed to the toxicant for a period of 1 hr, five hours after toxicant application. Knock down at 0.5 hr and 24 hr post exposure mortalities were determined. All tests were performed at temperatures between 20 and 30°C. Average daily temperature was 25°C.