The Experimental Application of Insecticides from a Helicopter for the Control of Riverine Populations ofGlossina tachinoidesin West Africa. V. Evaluation of Decamethrin Applied as a Spray

Abstract

The results of a discriminative spray application of decamethrin from a helicopter to fringing forest habitats of Glossina tachinoides in the Komoe valley, Upper Volta, are described. The insecticide formulated as a 2.5% emulsion concentrate was diluted with river water and applied from a Bell 47G-4A helicopter to the fringing forests of a 14 km long stretch of the River Komoe at a dosage of 12.5 g a.i./ha. The insecticide application equipment was so adjusted that when the helicopter was flown at 30 km/h, the effective swath width was about 30 m and the vmd of emitted spray was c.150 μm. Insecticide swaths were applied to the inner edges of fringing forests that were up to 100 m wide. Forests wider than 100 m received an additional insecticide swath. The experimental area was protected from reinvasion by the establishment of dieldrin barriers at its extremities and along some tributaries and woodland/floodplain ecotones. The dieldrin was applied by the same method as was used to apply the decamethrin. The single discriminative application of decamethrin was extremely effective in controlling G. tachinoides for a period of at least 38 days, at the end of which time the wet season had commenced and there was evidence that flies were entering the experimental area from nearby unsprayed areas. The authors discuss the possible practical applications of the technique and make suggestions on how it might possibly be refined in order to reduce undesirable river water contamination and operational costs. The authors draw attention to the need for field trials, such as that reported upon, to be conducted on a sufficiently large scale and for the experimental areas to be well protected against reinvasion, if meaningful evaluation data are to be obtained.