An international training workshop on hematophagous flies identification was held in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, between 8th and 12th of April 2024. South African COMBAT project partner ARC-OVR, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture’s State Veterinarians, hosted the workshop at the Skukuza veterinary offices.   

Participants included five OVR’s Entomology staff, two staff from the Mozambique COMBAT partner UEM, one participant from the South African National Biodiversity Institute and three staff from the Skukuza State Veterinarians.  

Two entomology experts from CIRAD, namely Dr Geoffrey Gimonneau (Senegal) and Dr Marc Desquesnes (France), together with invited guest expert Dr Steve Mihok (Canada), presented the workshop.   

The training formed part of COMBAT’s first pillar on the epidemiology of disease and vectors in their environment (Task “knowledge of AT vectors”), and second pillar on control and surveillance tools (Task “trapping technology), under the overall auspices of the fourth pillar of the project on Capacity Building. The activities involved trapping of biting flies using different trapping devices, namely: the P23 BioFlyTrap designed under COMBAT; the Nzi trap; a Pyramidal trap; and the South African standard, the H-trap. 

Collected fly specimens were used as training material for identification at either genus or species level, as well as illustrating pinning and preservation methods.

Presentations were given on the biology and identification of Tabanidae, Stomoxyine and tsetse flies; microscope photography of flies; trap and experimental design and analysis; as well as considerations regarding trapping efficiency and cloth quality.   

Dr Steve Mihok also presented a seminar to staff of the Wildlife Veterinary Services and the State Veterinarians on trypanosomiasis and risks to white rhinoceros translocated in Africa to areas with tsetse.

Checkup of flies captured with a Nzi trap © M. Desquesnes, Cirad