J. L. Goodenough

The Tobacco Budworm on St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands: Host Plants, Population Survey and Estimates

The maximum tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), population on St. Croix occurs during October and November, while the low is during June, July and August. Pigeon pea and Bastardia serve as the principle host plants throughout the year. Population estimates show the species at a sufficiently low level to make St. Croix an excellent location for suppression or eradication studies.

Screwworm Flies: A System for Baiting and Distributing Screwworm Adult Suppression System Units

ABSTRACT A system was developed to bait and distribute Screw-worm Adult Suppression System (SWASS) units as a suppressant of a native population of screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel). The system reported herein was used to distribute 3000 to 8000 units weekly across the 460-km2 island of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Each SWASS unit contained chemical attractant, viscous feeding bait, and insecticide inside a 7.6 x 5.1-cm-dia paper cylinder. The bait was mechanically applied with a machine we developed. Use of this machine resulted in a saving of about

Distributing an Insect Population Suppressant from Aircraft

30/1000 units, timely completion of the program, and better utilization of labor. Units ready for aerial distribution were placed into sealed canisters to provide adequate protection to the operator, pilot, and aircraft from fumes of the attractant chemical. Canisters fit onto a variable speed machine for dispensing the units across the island. Operation of this program for 10 wk resulted in from 67 to 85 percent reduction in the native population of screwworms.

Field Comparisons of Liver and a New Chemical Mixture as Attractants for the Screwworm Fly

ABSTRACT A system was developed for transporting, metering, and distributing a pelletized formulation of the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (a combination of bait and toxicant) from aircraft as a suppressant of a na-tive population of screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel). Two trials of 3 applications each at rates of 0.18 kg/km2 of pellets weighing about 3 g each were made across a 500 km2 area in the Davis mountains of western Texas (Jeff Davis County) during September and October, 1978. Results indicate reductions of 77 percent and 91 percent in the native female screwworm captures in the treated area as compared to a control area.