Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
J Med Entomol. 2020 Nov 13;57(6):1872-1881. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjaa129.
Current management practices of nuisance black flies are conducted on an area-wide level and rely on the support of the public to implement programs. In Maryland, a vocal group of residents campaigned their representatives to begin a management program for the black fly Simulium jenningsi Malloch. To determine how residents in Maryland and its surrounding states perceived the severity of black fly nuisance, we deployed surveys online and in-person on the ways their outdoor activities were impacted and the preventive methods used to mitigate nuisance. Online respondents, those with children, and those who had lived in the region for a shorter amount of time were more likely to report black flies as 'extremely annoying'. Quality-of-life concerns stemming from black fly swarms were primarily related to avoiding outdoor exercise and recreation. The majority of respondents used at least one method of personal protection against black fly annoyance, but satisfaction with any method was low. Methods used by respondents included the removal of standing water and rotting vegetation from their properties, indicating a lack of knowledge about black fly breeding habitats. The results contextualized the needs of residents in future management and topics for outreach efforts to address misconceptions about black fly biology. This study offers an example of the application of social science methodology in understanding the needs of stakeholders in area-wide pest management.
目前，对骚扰性黑蝇的管理措施是在区域范围内进行的，并且依赖于公众的支持来实施这些计划。在马里兰州，一群直言不讳的居民呼吁他们的代表为黑蝇 Simulium jenningsi Malloch 启动一项管理计划。为了确定马里兰州及其周边州的居民如何看待黑蝇骚扰的严重程度，我们通过在线和实地调查的方式了解了他们的户外活动受到的影响以及用来减轻骚扰的预防措施。在线受访者、有孩子的受访者以及在该地区居住时间较短的受访者更有可能将黑蝇描述为“极其烦人”。由黑蝇群引起的生活质量问题主要与避免户外锻炼和娱乐有关。大多数受访者至少使用了一种防止黑蝇骚扰的个人防护方法，但对任何方法的满意度都较低。受访者使用的方法包括清除其房产上的死水和腐烂植物，这表明他们对黑蝇繁殖栖息地的了解不足。研究结果使人们了解到未来管理中居民的需求，以及开展宣传活动以解决有关黑蝇生物学误解的话题。本研究为应用社会科学方法来了解区域范围害虫管理中利益相关者的需求提供了一个范例。
