30 October 2013

Radical new Trojan Female pest control approach shows great promise

An innovative, non-lethal approach to pest management has the potential to become a game-changer in providing lasting and effective control in a wide range of insect and animal pests, according to New Zealand scientists developing the technique.

Researchers from the University of Otago, the University of Western Australia, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and Landcare Research today published findings about their proposed Trojan Female Technique (TFT) in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The technique harnesses naturally occurring mutations in the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that reduce male fertility while having little or no reproductive or other fitness impacts on females.

This means that Trojan Females (TFs) and their female descendants carrying such mutations could potentially produce sterile males over multiple generations, leading to dramatic and lasting population declines.

Using mathematical models the researchers show how introducing TFs into pest populations, as either single large releases or relatively few small repeat releases, could be effective in providing population control within relatively few generations.

Study lead author Professor Neil Gemmell of the University of Otagos Department of Anatomy described the findings as a key advance towards better protecting agriculture, human health and biodiversity from pests that cause or carry disease, or damage or consume valued resources.

This could be a game-changer in reducing the global impact of pests. Conventional approaches to pest management usually involve lethal control, but such approaches are costly, of varying efficiency, and often have ethical issues.

Although the greatest effectiveness was predicted for high turnover species such as insects and rodents, the cumulative nature of multiple releases makes the TFT applicable across the broad range of animal pests, he says.

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Radical new “Trojan Female” pest control approach shows great promise

Martinez, GA (PRWEB) October 29, 2013

The Common Bed Bug is a parasitic insect usually found in mattresses that feeds on human blood during the night. Bed Bugs are one of the earlier-referenced pests on record having first been mentioned in 400 B.C. It has been a human parasite for thousands of years. From about 77 A.D. and into the 18th Century many people thought they had medicinal purposes, and were used to treat snake bites during early Roman times.

Bed Bugs differ from fleas, mosquitoes, etc; in that both males and females, in all stages of life, feed exclusively on blood. They have been known to carry 28 different human diseases, but as of yet they have not been known to infect humans. They prefer to feed every four to five days, but are able to survive for several months without a blood meal. In very cool temperatures, they have been known to survive over a year without feeding. They typically will consume two to five times their body weight in blood and the feeding time can be up to 10 minutes. Once feeding is complete, they quickly return to their hiding place. Bed Bugs cannot fly or jump but are able to walk four feet per minute. Bed Bugs are nocturnal but have been known to feed during the day if its the only time a host is available.

Common Bed Bugs can detect humans from up to five feet away. They recognize the carbon dioxide from breathing and body heat. They can recognize a temperature change of one degree and are attracted to temperatures up to 109 degrees. They prefer to feed on exposed skin so they are usually found around the neck, arms, face, and such areas. They are often undiscovered for a period of time because people simply believe that they have a blemish, rash, or some allergic reaction. Many times the skin reaction may take several weeks to develop, if at all. Unfortunately, this often times leads to the infestation being quite large before it is recognized. A female Bed Bug can lay up to 500 eggs in her 10-month lifetime.

The Common Bed Bug is an oval, flattened, wingless insect that is brown in color. After feeding it becomes purplish-red and its shape becomes larger and cigar shaped. They typically cluster together in a common harborage area such as mattresses, drapery, furniture seams, under baseboards on carpet, in electronic devices, and in wooden furniture at the joints. It is very common to find dried bloody fecal material in these harborage areas. These harborage areas are most often around the sleeping areas of people.

Bed Bugs are usually transported via luggage, brief cases, pocket books, etc; and are found throughout most of the world. They have been reported in office buildings, movie theaters, cargo and passenger trains, air planes, rental cars and of course hotels. Bed Bug cases are surging in the developed world. This is primarily a result of increased international travel and the absence of long-lasting pesticides in agricultural production.

The two most effective methods of controlling them are heat treatment and traditional insecticide. The heat method works by raising the temperature of the infested area to above 115 degrees for longer than seven minutes. Unfortunately this leaves no residual so if any survive the area can become infested again. The traditional insecticide method involves treating all of the hiding places. It is important to note that Bed Bugs will leave the treated area and it is therefore important to treat adjacent rooms as well. Control is rarely achieved by novices and do-it-yourselfers. It is usually necessary to hire a professional exterminator with specific training in Common Bed Bug control. On Sept. 30, 2011 the Augusta Chronicle reported that there were 111 cases of people getting sick in amateur attempts to combat a resurgence in the Bed Bug population. Hornes Pest Control has a tenured staff with several years of experience and specific training from courses offered by schools such as Clemson and Purdue University.

About the company: Hornes Pest Control offers pest control solutions that combine the most advanced chemistry and targeted treatments in three protective layers. It takes the pest control battle directly to a homes four defensive zones: exterior, attic, crawl space and interior. This pest control method stops a pest invasion at all possible entry points. Hornes Pest Control also uses a comprehensive approach to termite control. Hornes Pest Control has the most comprehensive damage repair warranty in Augusta, Ga. and Aiken, S.C. so homeowners can rest assured that their home is protected. Visit the website for more information, http://hornespestcontrol.com.

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Horne’s Pest Control Offers Expertise in Bed Bug Removal

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Oct-2013

Contact: Richard Levine rlevine@entsoc.org 301-731-4535 Entomological Society of America

The 2013 Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) in Austin, TX, November 10-13, 2013, will include symposia on urban and structural insect pests such as bed bugs, cockroaches, termites, ants, flies, mosquitoes, and others.

Thousands of entomologists and professionals from related disciplines will gather to exchange scientific information, enhance their professional knowledge and skills, and network with colleagues.

This year's meeting will feature the following symposia of interest to pest control professionals:

"Connecting the Community with Entomology and Integrated Pest Management" (Wednesday, November 13, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM) will feature presentations on bed bugs, fire ants, rodents, mosquitoes, and other pests. For more information, see http://esa.confex.com/esa/2013/webprogram/Session20513.html.

"Applied Research on Bed Bug Management" (Wednesday, November 13, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM) will feature presentations by bed bug experts on new research on bed bug insecticides, the importance of bed bug detection devices, designing model bed bug management programs, practical methods of controlling bed bugs, cost-effective and money-wasting do-it-yourself bed bug control strategies, updates on tropical bed bug research. For more information, see http://esa.confex.com/esa/2013/webprogram/Session19897.html.

"Red Imported Fire Ants: Global Approaches to a Global Invasive Species" (Sunday, November 10, 1:00 PM-6:00 PM) will feature presentations on the history and impact of the red imported fire ant, plus presentations on fire ant biology and control methods. For more info, see http://esa.confex.com/esa/2013/webprogram/Session19590.html.

"Structural Pests Symposium" (Wednesday, November 13, 2013: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM) will feature presentations on the biology of termites and products and methods for controlling them. For more information, see http://esa.confex.com/esa/2013/webprogram/Session20762.html.

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