Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spraying nematodes in vinasse to control stable fly larvae outdoors
By Monteiro AC et al.·2026·Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Brazil·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of the spraying of entomopathogenic nematode diluted in vinasse on <i>Stomoxys calcitrans</i> larvae (Diptera: Muscidae) under environmental conditions.
Plain-English summary
Stable flies, known scientifically as *Stomoxys calcitrans*, can be a nuisance for many animals because they feed on their blood. Researchers tested a natural method to control these flies by using special tiny worms called entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) that can infect and kill the larvae. In their study, they found that two types of EPNs, *H. indica* and *H. baujardi*, were quite effective, killing about 82% and 73% of the larvae, respectively. In contrast, another type, *H. bacteriophora*, was much less effective, with only a 33% kill rate. Overall, the study concluded that *H. indica* and *H. baujardi* are good options for controlling stable fly larvae in the environment, while *H. bacteriophora* is not as effective.
Abstract
<i>Stomoxys calcitrans</i> is a hematophagous dipteran known as a "stable fly", capable of parasitizing several animal species. The use of biological agents is an alternative for controlling <i>S. calcitrans</i>, with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) being both resistant and virulent. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of infection by EPNs subjected to spraying pressure on <i>S. calcitrans</i> larvae in sugarcane straw and vinasse under environmental conditions. Groups of 20 larvae of the stable fly were placed in plastic containers containing one kilogram of autoclaved soil and 200 g of sugarcane straw each. Subsequently, 200 JIs/larvae were sprayed onto the trays with larvae, and emergence traps were placed on the containers. In the control group, there were no EPNs; only vinasse was used. The experiment had three replicates and was monitored daily for 15 days. It was observed that the EPN <i>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</i> HP88 showed a mortality rate of 33.3%, which was not statistically different from that of the control group (38.3%). The EPNs <i>H. indica LPP30</i> and <i>H. baujardi LPP7</i> caused mortality rates of 81.7% and 73.3%, respectively; both being higher than <i>H. bacteriophora HP88</i> and the control group, but equal to each other under these conditions. It is concluded that <i>H. indica</i> LPP30 and <i>H. baujardi</i> LPP7 were effective against stable fly larvae under environmental conditions, whereas <i>H. bacteriophora</i> HP88 does not demonstrate similar efficacy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41983164