Attraction factors for Paederus fuscipes ' dispersal, a vector of Paederus dermatitis towards human residential premises

ABSTRACT Paederus fuscipes, a vector of Paederus dermatitis in most tropical and subtropical countries of the world have a high prevalence in human dwellings due to their positively phototaxic behaviour which has caused a tremendous impact on human health. In this paper, P. fuscipes dispersal flights were studied for two seasons of the rice cultivation phases in residential premises built close to rice field areas (≈32-60 m and 164 m) in mainland Penang, Malaysia. We examined the effects of different light illuminance, building floor level and their association with rice stages as a focal cause of P. fuscipes dispersion from the rice fields towards human dwellings. The present study showed a significant interaction between different light illuminances and rice cultivation phases in attracting P. fuscipes to disperse and invade human dwellings. The highest number of P. fuscipes was captured near the bright light. P. fuscipes flights increased in line with each floor level, and the highest captures took place at higher building floor levels (levels 2 and 3) compared to lower building floor levels (ground floor and level 1) of a three storey apartment in both rice seasons. This finding not only conveys a better understanding on P. fuscipes dispersal pattern, but also draws public attention on the occurrence of dermatitis linearis caused by the Paederus beetles.

Accidentes por lepidópteros: Hylesia nigricans (Berg, 1875) o "mariposa negra" / Accidents due to Lepidoptera: Hylesia nigricans (Berg, 1875) or "mariposa negra"

Las características biológicas de los lepidópteros (mariposas, orugas y polillas) posibilitan el contacto de sus distintos estadios evolutivos con el ser humano. La mariposa nocturna Hylesia nigricans es responsable de brotes epidémicos en nuestro país. Se denomina erucismo al contacto con las larvas u orugas y lepidopterismo, si el contacto se produce con las mariposas. Realizamos una actualización de estos lepidópteros de importancia médica

Lepidoptera (butterflies, caterpillars and moths) biologic features make possible the contact between different instars and humans. The moth Hylesia nigricans is responsible for epidemic outbreaks in our country. It is called erucism when the contact is with caterpillars and lepidopterism when the contact is with moths. We perform an update of these important medical lepidopters.