Abundance, Distribution and Incrimination of the House Fly -Musca domestica Linnaeus (Diptera: Muscidae) in the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Community in Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria (Published)
Flies collected from philanthropic environments are likely to be contaminated with human pathogens. Houseflies (Musca domestica) particularly pose significant public health threat owning to their ability to mechanically transmit human intestinal parasites and other disease-causing microorganisms. This study aims at determining the abundance, distribution and vectoral capacity of houseflies (Musca domestica) in the transmission of human intestinal parasites. Studies were specifically undertaken from September to October, 2019 when a total of 1,309 houseflies were collected using fresh fish as bait and the knockdown and sweep method, from three localities viz: Female Hostel, Student’s Village and University Staff Quarters respectively. The flies were morphologically identified and examined for possible incrimination with parasitic faunas using available standard microscopic techniques. The highest fly abundance of 613(46.83%) was recorded from the students village, followed by 480(36.67%) from the female hostels, while the least abundance of 216(16.50%) was recorded from the University staff quarters. Meanwhile, a total of 86 pathogenic parasites belonging to 7 genera and 9 species were collected and identified using standard techniques, from the external body surfaces of the flies viz: Entamoeba histolytica 21(24.42%) > Ascaris lumbricoides 17(19.77%) > Taenia solium 12(13.95%) > Taenia saginata 9 (10.47%) > Schistosoma mansoni 8(9.30%) > Enterobius vermicularis 7(8.14%) > Schistosoma haematobium 5(5.81%) > Hymenolepis nana 4(4.65%) > Trichuris trichiura 3(3.49%) respectively. The results showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in the abundance and distribution of houseflies across the sample localities. Similarly, significant differences (P < 0.05) existed between both the genera and species of parasites collected. The results have shown that houseflies were abundant and well distributed in the study area and were incriminated as potential mechanical vectors of important human parasites and hence their role in disease transmission in the study area is suspected.
Keywords: Housefly abundance, Makurdi, Nigeria, Parasites, University Environment
Cycad Aulacaspis Scale (CAS) Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi as a major pest of Sago Palm Cycas spp. in Nigeria (Published)
Cycad aulacaspis scale (Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi) is native to the Southeast Asia specifically Thailand. Due to the trade in cycad plants for ornamental use in the world, it has been introduced widely in Asia, North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Pacific Islands, Ivory Coast and South Africa. Infestation by this scale can kill cycads in only a few months. Its introduction to these countries endangered the ornamental cycad-growing industry. In 2014, an introduced scale insect (Cycad aulacaspis scale) was discovered damaging cycads in a Bank premise, Port Harcourt. Survey was conducted on eight states (Cross River State, Rivers State, Abuja, Edo state, Akwa-Ibom state, Bayelsa state, Delta state and Lagos state) in Nigeria and report of severe damage was recorded. Management methods (cultural, chemical and biological) employed to manage the infestation proves ineffective as the scale insect was significantly seen three weeks after. The scale insect outnumbered their natural enemy tiny black lady beetle (Rhyzobius lophanthae) in these sampled locations and totally covers the entire plant within two months in a whitewashed scale-like appearance leading to chlorotic-yellow-brown leaves and eventual death of the plant. Therefore, this paper is aimed at reporting and creating awareness of the presence and outbreak of this insect pest (Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi) in Nigeria. Also, instant remedial measures should be taken to reduce the spread of this scale insect (Cycad aulacaspis scale) to other parts of Africa as to reduce the distribution of the scale insect on cycad species in this region.
Keywords: Cycad Aulacaspis scale, Damage, Infestation, Nigeria, Sago palm