Warble (Hypoderma spp.) occurrence in red and fallow deer: results of a three years long study

Abstract

Skin bot fly larvae or warbles (hypodermosis) in European Cervidae is of high economic importance in regard of the losses for leather processing. The hides of deer shot during autumn-winter is full of the warble-holes, while the summer hides have reduced value because of the cicatrized patches. Authors examined the hypodermosis of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) and fallow deer (Dama dama L.) in Pannonia (Western Hungary) during three consequent hunting seasons (October-February). The overall prevalence (67.9%) as well as the mean intensity (106.8 larvae/host) were relatively high, and hypodermosis has a general distribution. The prevalence in stags was 100% and in yearling hinds 97.6%, respectively. In the majority of the infected adult hinds a large number of dead larvae were present too, what should be the result of acquired immunity induced by the developing larvae in previous season(s). The low prevalence in calves is related to the time of birth (early May), thus about half of them is missing the time of oviposition. Hypodermosis is less common in fallow deer, this species seems to be an unsuitable host for Hypoderma larvae. There was no infected fawn, as they were born in early June only, when the oviposition season is over. For the purpose of the industrial quality deer leather only hides of calves/fawns are useful after careful inspection. Peroral chemotherapy against hypodermosis is contraindicated in terms of venison-contamination, ecological, nature conservational, and other problems.