Sustained Releases of Muscidifurax raptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) for House Fly ( Musca domestica ) Control in Two Types of Caged-Layer Poultry Houses 1

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Abstract
An indigenous strain of Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, a house fly pupal parasite, was mass-reared and released at 2 caged-layer poultry farms, one with narrow (California) houses and one with a high-rise house, from May through Nov. 1978. Weekly releases of 40,000 parasites in the narrow caged-layer houses resulted in a significant increase in the overall rate of parasitism of house fly pupae during the fly season in comparison to similar farms without releases; and a 2-fold increase in both the rate of parasitism and the proportion of M. raptor in the parasite population from that of the previous year; while parasitism rates and M. raptor populations remained essentially unchanged at farms receiving no parasite releases. In the high-rise house, weekly releases of 40,000 M. raptor resulted in a significant increase in the rate of parasitism of house fly pupae in the latter half of the fly season and a higher proportion of M. raptor in the parasite population in comparison to similar farms receiving no parasite releases. Concurrent with parasite releases, a reduction in the fly population occurred in the narrow caged-layer houses; however, no reduction was evident in the high-rise caged-layer house.