Kryger U, Deschodt C, Davis A L V, Scholtz C H
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
Vet Parasitol. 2007 Feb 28;143(3-4):380-4. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.08.021. Epub 2006 Sep 14.
While resistance against many other classes of acaricides has been described, products containing benzoylphenyl urea are currently still successfully used against the pesticide-resistant blue tick (Boophilus decoloratus) in South Africa. In order to assess any adverse impact of these tickicides on the important dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) fauna, a bioassay was undertaken on the ecotoxicological effects of a fluazuron (benzoylphenyl urea) pour-on formulation (Acatak) on the survival and reproduction of the African dung beetles species Onthophagus gazella (Fabricius). The experiment yielded no significant differences in adult or larval survival, egg production, fecundity and fertility between the control and treatment group following three beetle generations over. These results suggested that treatment of cattle with the fluazuron pour-on formulation Acatak was not detrimental to the selected dung beetle species in any notable way.
