Applied Entomology and Parasitology Department

The Team

Head of the department Dominique SAFFRAY Agricultural engineer M. Sc. in Cell Biology and Physiology

Research Engineer Benjamin CRETON Professional Master's Degree in Management, Control and Preservation of Insects

Research Engineer Piotr BURSZTYKA Professional Master's Degree in Insect Sciences

Research Engineer Caroline CHAUVET Professional qualification in nature management and conservation

Contact us

			+33 490 755 707

Our Strategy

Chemical communication plays a major role in the life of arthropods (particularly insects and mites). These animals emit chemical signals divided into two functional categories : pheromones and allelochemicals.

Pheromones play a part in the communication between animals of the same species. They play a major role, for example, in the identification between males and females during the reproduction period of butterflies. The first identified pheromone, thanks to Butenandt in 1959, was the bombycol, the sexual pheromone of the silkworm (Bombyx mori). Based on this discovery, Karlson and Lüsher created the word pheromone.

Allelochemicals (allomones and kairomones) are a means of communication between individuals of different species.

• Allomones are chemical substances which provide an advantage for animals that produce them. A remarkable allomone is secreted by the Coleoptera Staphylinidae Pella laticolis, which presents a particular predation behaviour towards ants of the species Lasius fuliginosus. At the sight of an ant, the Coleoptera moves forward and shows its secretory glands. These glands secrete a substance inhibiting the ant's combativeness. The Coleoptera takes advantage of this hesitation time to jump on its prey and kill it.
• Kairomones are chemicals substances which provide an advantage to individuals that intercept them. Many parasites, such as ticks, use kairomones to locate their host. The female tick, settled on branches of bushes or at the extremity of tall weeds, waits for a mammalian's crossing. As soon as it perceives butyric acid emanating from the sebaceous glands of the mammalian's skin, it lets itself fall onto its future host, moves towards the epiderm and perforates it. Then the tick puts its head in the epiderm and gorges itself with warm blood.

The semiochemicals (pheromones, allomones and kairomones) are thus essential for number of arthropods in order to communicate during reproduction, during the localization and the capture of their prey or during the detection of their host. The IRSEA develops analogues of semiochemicals, which confuse this communication to fight against parasites or so-called "noxious" animals. This strategy prevents the use of commonly utilized toxic chemical products and brings, in accordance with the needs, preventive or curative solutions.

Studied Species

Insects and mites studied for current researches are bred in our laboratory, in controlled conditions.

Poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae)

A synthetic analogue (DDRA) of a duck allomone, repelant to the red mite, which enables the fight against infestations of Dermanyssus gallinae in poultry farms has been developped. This product is marketed by Vetopharma and named Wakumo^®.

Poultry red mite

Dermanyssus gallinae
(Acari : Dermanyssidae, De Geer 1778)

Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)

Our research on this insect aims at isolating, identifying and synthetically reproducing an allelochemical which enables the fight against infestations of flees on cats or dogs.

	Cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera : Pulicidae, Bouché 1835)		Ctenocephalides felis larva

Housefly (Musca domestica)

Pullulations of domestic flies in farms are a source of discomfort for the farmer, the livestock and for the neighbourhood. To offer a solution, both efficient and without risk of toxicity, we have launched a research programme intended to significantly reduce the population of domestic flies in farms.

	Housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera : Muscidae, Linné 1758)		Antenna and arista of Musca domestica

	Experimental enclosure for trials of choice		Mosquito net cages for fly keeping

Marketed products

Wakumo^®

Marketed by Veto-pharma

DDRA-based (Duck Dermanyssus Repulsive Allomone)

Indication:
Treatment of Red Mite infestation (Dermanyssus gallinae).

Wakumo^® has patents pending and is published under EP 153,840 and US2005-0137119 and is patented in some foreign equivalents.