Abstract
The effect of on sowing and before transplanting application of the phenyl pyrazole insecticide, fipronil, on the survivorship Sympetrum spp. was investigated in plots of an experimental rice paddy field. In addition, the effect of two pesticide applications on rice weevils was investigated. A total of nine paddy plots were used in this study: three were treated with fipronil at the before transplanting application , three at the on sowing application, and the three remaining plots were left untreated for use as controls. Fipronil concentrations in paddy water at the time of application in before transplanting and on sowing treatments reached 1.45 and 1.20 μg/L, respectively. A comparison of experimental and control plots revealed a marked absence of Sympetrum frequens larvae, exuviae and adults from fipronil-treated fields. Adult density of Sympetrum sp. and members of Lestidae in paddy fields before transplanting application were considerably lower than in control plots. Our results show that before transplanting application is more effective than on sowing application for treating rice weevils, but that on sowing application may still be harm against dragonflies.
