Chemosterilisation ofGlossina morsitans morsitansWestwood andG. PallidipesAusten (Diptera: Glossinidae) in the field

Abstract

AbstractWild adults ofGlossina morsitans morsitansWestw. andG. pallidipesAust. were caught in a trap baited with carbon dioxide and acetone near Chimotsi Dam in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. The design of the trap was such that flies were induced to move into a sterilising chamber, where they were treated with a spray of the chemosterilant metepa, after which they were automatically released back into the environment. Exposure to a spray of 0·2 s duration produced between 94 and 100% sterility, with very low mortality. The sterilising unit, its action and performance are described.