RESPONSES OF GLOSSINA-PALLIDIPES (DIPTERA, GLOSSINIDAE) TO SYNTHETIC REPELLENTS IN THE FIELD

In Zimbabwe, studies were made of the responses of Glossina pallidipes Austen to known and candidate repellents. Various chemicals, dispense d at c. 5-10 mg/h, were placed beside Epsilon traps already baited wit h a blend of acetone, octenol, 4-methylphenol and 3-n-propylphenol. Pe ntanoic or hexanoic acids or acetophenone halved the catch and 2-metho xyphenol reduced the catch by 90%. There were no consistent difference s in the responses of males and females. Pentanoic acid or acetophenon e or 2-methoxyphenol at an unbaited trap reduced the catch by 40%, 75% and 60%, respectively. Baiting traps with a combination of pentanoic acid, acetophenone and 2-methoxyphenol did not reduce the catch below that produced by 2-methoxyphenol alone. Pentanoic acid and 2-methoxyph enol reduced the efficiency of traps from c. 40% to 20% but acetopheno ne had no significant effect. Acetophenone and 2-methoxyphenol halved the numbers of tsetse attracted to a target baited with acetone, octen ol and phenols but none had a significant effect on the proportion tha t landed. 2-Methoxyphenol significantly reduced the numbers of tsetse attracted to a source of natural ox odour but only pentanoic acid had a significant effect on feeding responses, reducing the proportion tha t fed on an ox from 59 to 45%. It is concluded that these repellents d o not provide any useful degree of protection against trypanosomiasis. In areas where tsetse are abundant (500 bites/ox/day) and infection r ates in tsetse are high (> 5%) it is highly unlikely that any repellen ts would be useful. However, in areas where tsetse are less abundant ( 1 bite/ox/day) and/or infection rates are low (c. 0.5%) the potent, un identified repellents present in human odour might effectively complem ent the control of disease using trypanocidal drugs.