Biology, Diagnosis and Management of Indian Pestiferous Blackflies

About the Book

This book is about the blackflies which are well known for their biting nuisance and disease transmission and considered second as the most harmful group of insects after the mosquitoes in affecting the human health. Information about blackfly in India is scanty despite of their medical and veterinary importance. This monograph provides summarised and update information on biology, diagnosis, pest status and management of the Indian blackflies. The emphasis has been made on blackflies of northeast India where they are threatening the public and animal health and have negative impact. The introductory chapters deal with the importance of the blackflies in India as human and domestic animals pests and listed man biting species for the first time. Three species namely, S. himalayense, S. indicum and S. nodosum are reported as highly anthropophilic. The subsequent chapters with illustrations deals with biology, collection of blackflies and their preparation, preservation and rearing for species diagnosis by using morphological, cytotaxonomical and molecular characters. The use of DNA taxonomy along with morphology and ecology is emphasised for identification of cryptic or sibling species within the species-complexes especially in species-complexes of medical problem. Identification keys for 73 Indian species are given for the first time. The book ends with a chapter on the lesson learnt, practical tips and future research for study of blackflies in the country. This book is a step-by-step guide for the blackfly study in this region.

About the Author

Dr Vijay Veer after obtaining his doctorate degree in Insect Ecology & Taxonomy of Thysanoptera (thrips, plant disease vectors) joined the Forest Research Institute & Colleges, Dehradun and worked on ecology, taxonomy and control of insect pests of forestry importance. In 1984, he joined DRDO at the Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE), Gwalior as Scientist ‘B’ and superannuated as the Director of Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur (Assam). He was also tipped as member of the Group for Forecasting of Systems & Technologies (GFAST), New Delhi.

Dr Vijay Veer has more than 38 years research experience in Insect pests, their ecology and management including disease vectors of health & hygiene. He researched on pests of medical, veterinary, forestry and agriculture importance such as thrips, dermestid beetles, cloth-moths, tabanid flies, blackflies and mosquitoes; discovered several new species of insects. Beside this he has also worked in high altitude agriculture, water purification and low intensity conflict. He has developed various technologies. Some of them are converted into products, transferred to industry and being commercialised. Some of those are multi-insect repellent (Diethyl phenyl acetamide, DEPA) and first indigenous long lasting insecticidal mosquito net (LLIN-Defender Net. Water purification systems for removing iron, arsenic and manganese; and Chili (Oleoresin) based products for women protection and mob dispersion.

He made significant contributions in the development of BioSTP (Biological Sewage Treatment Plant) and is currently working on development of ecofriendly technologies for degradation of solid waste and on new generation pest control safe technology. He has published 10 books, 33 patents and about 210 research publications, several book chapters and prepared 02 Indian standards (IS).