Assessment of nocturnal insects in desert locust habitat after the application of insecticides against Desert Locust in Sub-Zoba Shieb, Eritrea

The study on the impact of insecticide nocturnal insects used to control desert locust was conducted at Shelshela, sub-region Shieb from November 2015 to February 2016. Its aim was to assess the impact of Desert Locust control insecticides spray on non-target arthropods. The experiment was carried out in RCBD using three treatments of fenitrothion 96% ULV, chlorpyrifos 45% ULV and control with three replications. It was replicated three times. Each plot had a size of 1 ha with a buffer zone among plots and blocks were 100 m. Data were recorded two times at pre-sprays and five times at post-sprays. During study period 4 insect families were observed and data were analyzed. These were Calliphoridae, Elateridae, Scarabidae, and Pselaphidae. In pre-spray, data did not show significant difference among treatments used. After 48 hrs of post-spray result showed significant difference among treatments. Both insecticides treated plots showed significantly lower population count than control plot. Between the treatments used fenitrothion treated plots generally showed more reduction in population count than chlorpyrifos. From the study it is observed that Elateridae can be used as bio-indicator during insecticide control of desert locust in the study areas.