Insecticidal activity of Calotropis procera extracts of the flesh fly, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis fallen.

The insecticidal activity, expressed by LD50 values, of acetone, ethanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of Calotropis procera leaves against the flesh fly, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis Fallen was evaluated in the laboratory. Based on LD50 values, ethanol extract was nearly 1.7, 1.3 and 1.3 times more toxic to larvae than water, petroleum ether and acetone extracts, respectively. It was 1.9, 1.4 and 1.2 times more toxic to pupae than water, acetone and petroleum ether extracts, respectively. It was 2.0, 1.5 and 1.4 times more toxic to male flies and 2.2, 1.6 and 1.4 times more toxic to female flies than water, petroleum ether and acetone, extracts, respectively. Thus, ethanol extract of C. procera was the most toxic, of all solvents used, to different stages of S. haemorrhoidalis. Findings suggest also that C. procera extracts may produce larvicidal, pupicidal and adulticidal effects, (behaving like general toxicants) against the flesh fly, S. haemorrhoidalis.