Journal of the Australian Entomological Society (1992) 31, 263-270

J.W.O. Ballard and R.J. Elder (1992)
Monitoring blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) pests
Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 31 (3), 263-270
Abstract: Blackflies are common biting insect pests following flooding in northeastern Australia, yet there have been few attempts to quantify the severity of an outbreak. Two tent-trap designs and human-bait collections were used to estimate the numbers of Austrosimulium pestilens Mackerras and Mackerras and A. bancrofti (Taylor) s.l. females seeking a blood meal following flooding of the Fitzroy River near Rockhampton in 1991. A statistical model was constructed to predict changes in the number of trapped, and presumably host-seeking flies, and to generate an equation relating tent-trap captures and human-bait collections. Tent-traps placed in the open collected five flies in 32 min, the equivalent human biting rate of about 1/min. We suggest this is a threshold level at which control measures should be introduced to reduce the threat to humans.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Novaustrosimulium bancrofti		Australia (NT+QLD)
	Novaustrosimulium pestilens		Australia (NT+QLD)