Webinar: Sheep Blowfly Sterile Insect Technique project with Dr Maarten Van Helden (PIRSA)

In this AWI Extension SA Webinar Dr Maarten Van Helden (PIRSA) discusses Sheep Blowfly Sterile Insect Technique project: The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) is running a pilot project on Kangaroo Island to develop the sterile insect technique (SIT) to control the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina. The LuSIT (Lucilia SIT) project started with a feasibility study for MLA, and support from the Local Economic Recovery funds following the 2020 bushfires on Kangaroo Island. SIT is an area-wide non-chemical control method that takes advantage of the fact that most female flies will mate only once in their life. It requires production of millions of sterile flies, reared in a custom built factory, that are released from the air. The LuSIT pilot is developing the mass-production of flies and testing release strategies, while observing the effect on fly populations and flystrike. Controlling flystrike would have benefits beyond the reduction in chemical costs and direct losses. The island situation allows to thoroughly develop and test the methodology and understand the adoption of management changes by farmers. Initial results of the 2025 season are very promising, but several more years will be required to confirm efficiency and transfer of the methodology to the mainland. This webinar was supported by: Australian Wool Innovation SA Sheep Industry Fund Department of Primary Industries and Regions