Identification of stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) and study on its blood-sucking behavior

Abstract

Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) is one of the most important blood-sucking insects that has a potential economic impact on the livestock industry. The species has cosmopolitan distribution and is abundant in livestock barns, stables, and pastures. This study identified the presence of S. calcitrans in dairy barns, on fences and foliages around dairy cattle farms in District 12, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon and Binh Chanh Distrist of Ho Chi Minh city, and recorded its blood-sucking behavior. Both sexes of stable flies have blood-sucking behavior and cause much pain and annoyance to catlle resulting in interrupted grazing. Morphological characteristics of S. calcitrans were reported and compared with those of the housefly (Musca domestica). Statistical data collected from two cattle farms in District 12 showed that the boold-sucking flies occured throughout the year in farms with 3.40 flies per leg of cattle in June and 2.35 flies per leg of cattle in September. The number of flies per leg of cattle crossed economic threshold (< 2 stable flies per leg of catlle). However, with 40–180 cows raised per farm, the farmers have not been aware of the presence and impact of the boold-sucking flies. The stable flies S. calcitrans would cause huge losses in productivity and quality of meat and milk when the cattle husbandry is developed on industrial scale. Therefore, identification and control of density of the blood- sucking fly should be seriously considered.