Development of a Mycoinsecticide Bait Formulation for the Control of House Flies, L.

The control of house flies, (L.), currently relies on the use of chemical insecticide spray and bait formulations. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as , may provide an alternative to these products. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a mycoinsecticide bait formulation containing a virulent isolate. Five isolates were screened against and isolate M16 was selected for bait development. Bait formulations containing a variety of additives, including (Z)-9-tricosene, were tested for their ability to increase fly visitation. A bait formulation containing and skim milk powder was found to have the highest house fly visitation and was subsequently compared to a conventional chemical bait in an efficacy assay. The chemical bait (0.5% imidacloprid) caused faster mortality than the mycoinsecticide bait, however, similar levels of mortality were achieved by 4-5 days' post exposure. These results suggest that mycoinsecticide baits may offer an alternative to conventional chemical insecticides for the control of house flies in suitable areas.