應用螞蟻與鹽類於臺灣鋏蠓防治之初探

Abstract

臺灣鋏蠓(Forcipomyia taiwana)為重要之衛生害蟲，雌成蟲嗜吸人血，易引起受害者皮膚瘙癢及紅腫，尤其在春夏之際中南部及東部地區發生嚴重，影響當地居民居家生活與工作，甚至影響各地區觀光產業。環境整頓為主要的防治思維，但於流行高峰期仍不可避免的需要進行化學藥劑防治，以快速有效率的抑制臺灣鋏蠓密度，然而合成化學藥劑防治只能短暫抑制臺灣鋏蠓族群，卻不可避免地造成環境污染及影響人類健康。為了因應環境友善的概念，本論文致力於開發天然友善資材作為防治依據。我們的研究結果顯示大頭家蟻屬(Pheidole)為臺灣鋏蠓發生地區主要螞蟻種類，進一步試驗了大頭家蟻屬螞蟻對臺灣鋏蠓卵、幼蟲、蛹之掠食潛力，結果顯示大頭家蟻屬螞蟻對臺灣鋏蠓幼蟲及蛹皆有掠食意願，與同為活的獵物跳蟲與椿象比較，臺灣鋏蠓被掠食機率較高;但若為死的獵物，則以跳蟲與椿象被掠食機率較高。本研究亦自野外採集蟻巢，於實驗室建立穩定族群後，在安置於野外田間進行防治試驗，但蟻巢受颱風影響，以致未能評估防治效率。此外，本論文也試驗低濃度鹽類對臺灣鋏蠓發育之影響，並確認了低濃度鹽類雖不會抑制卵的黑化，但會造成臺灣鋏蠓幼蟲生存率的降低。再利用對臺灣鋏蠓卵發育也具有抑制作用的硫酸胺肥料，進行田間防治試驗。結果顯示於肥料施灑後，試驗區臺灣鋏蠓族群密度均有短暫的降低，但其效果卻大幅的受到降雨等天候因素影響，仍需進行進一步的研究探討可行之施用時機與方法。

Forcipomyia taiwana is an important hygiene pest with preference on human blood, so that cause victim skin itchy and swelling. The outbreak and spread of this biting midge has resulted in serious influence on residents in central, south and east Taiwan among spring and summer season and even posed significant impact on resort areas to drive away visitors. The general strategy of F. taiwana control is environmental rectification, but synthetic pesticides are still the emergent control strategy for this biting midge at outbreak period. However synthetic insecticides could only temporary inhibit F. taiwana density, it causes environmental pollution and influence human health. My research dedicated to develop eco-friendly materials as basis for field control of F. taiwana in the Botany Garden of National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung. Ants have been recognized as ideal biological agents for insect pests. My studies showed that Genus Pheidole is the main ant species in endemic area of F. taiwana. The laboratory studies suggested that Pheidole ants exhibited higher foraging preference on F. taiwana’s larvae, and pupae than eggs as well as other living prey, such as springtails and stinkbugs, which has similar habitat and body size to F. taiwana larvae. Moreover, Pheidole ant colonies were collected from wild and stabilized in laboratory before releasing for field test. Unfortunately, we can’t evaluate the suppressive efficiency of Pheidole ant on F. taiwana due to the influence of typhoon. My research also showed that low concentration of NaCl did not inhibit the melanization of eggs, but exhibit significantly negative impact on the post-embryo development of F. taiwana. In addition to NaCl, fertilizer ammonium sulfate also could inhibit the egg melanization of F. taiwana and were used for field test. The result shows that population density of F. taiwana were only temporary reduced after application of ammonium sulfate. The weather condition, such as rainfall and regular watering in the Botany Garden were the main confound factors and need to be taken into consideration in future evaluation of field test for F. taiwana management.