Housefly, Musca domestica L. (Muscidae: Diptera), has been given prime importance due to its association with human and veterinary health. It is a synanthropic animal, living in close proximity to humans and domesticated animals (Dahlem, 2009). It is found in a variety of habitats like poultry farms, cattle barns, horse stables, and organic wastes. Houseflies mechanically transfer pathogens from the area of infection to foodstuffs and/or skin of animals or man (Malik et al., 2007). There are more than a hundred diseases spread by houseflies, like amoebic dysentery (a type of dysentery caused by amoebic dysentery), helminthic infections, and rickettisial infections. Flying insects have been identified as potential carriers of bird flu virus that poses a threat to humans, poultry, and livestock around the world (Khamesipour et al., 2018). In addition to protozoan (amoebic dysentery), bacterial (shigellosis, salmonellosis, cholera), and helminthic (round worms, hookworms, pinworms, and tapeworm) infections, houseflies are also responsible for viral infections in humans and animals (Malik et al., 2007).

In order to manage insect-pests, insecticides are considered as the important and effective tool in both indoor and outdoor environment (Berkowitz et al., 2004; Horton et al., 2011; Biondi et al., 2012; Lu et al., 2012). Insecticidal treatments in houses may lead to different health and environmental hazards. In order to avoid these problems, insecticides should be used in a very selective manner such as baits. The use of baits has been found more effective and eco-friendly in tool for various vector borne diseases (Berger‐preieß et al., 1997). Only a few insecticides have potential to manage the housefly because housefly develop resistance to most of the insecticides very quickly (Khan et al., 2015). However, studies on such insecticides as a possible candidate for insecticide-based baits are needed.

Traditionally insecticides are evaluated by conducting simple feed or contact bioassay on insects. However, data generated by those bioassays are based on estimates of median lethal dose or concentration (LD50 and LC50, respectively) are only partially useful as not encompassing major side effects, such as sublethal effects (Desneux et al., 2007). For complete evaluation of any insecticide as a possible candidate in bait (s), study on sublethal and transgenerational effects is needed for full evaluation of potential effects of pesticides on arthropodes (e.g. Deng et al., 2019; Ullah et al., 2019; Xin et al., 2019; Liang et al., 2021; Cutler et al., 2022) including when considering possible candidate as baits or attract and kill systems (Khan et al., 2020; Zhang et al., 2021). The transgenerational effect is not only limited to exposed individuals but also on their descendants (Xiao et al., 2015). The sublethal effects of many insecticides can alter physiology, life table parameters, feeding behavior, fecundity, and various other morphological and genetic characteristics (Desneux et al., 2007). For example, sublethal levels of spinosad can significantly decrease hatchability of smaller eggs, egg size and reproductive effort in diamondback moth (Yin et al., 2008). A sublethal concentration of chlorfenapyr stimulated the reproduction of Bradysia odoriphaga (Zhao et al., 2018). Contrarily, these effects of insecticides could be a source of primary as well as the secondary pest outbreaks (Guedes et al., 2016; Qu et al., 2017).

Diafenthiuron is a highly effective type of thiourea insecticide and acaricide that shows stomach, contact and systemic toxicity (Ruder and Kayser, 1993). It inhibits the mitochondrial ATPase by the action of carbodiimide which is an effective product of this insecticide. This pesticide has a long effective period against various insect pests with low toxicity to mammals and non-target organisms (Ishaaya et al., 1993; Chi et al., 2020). This product has been evaluated against similar insects such as blowflies (Thumar et al., 2018). To develop effective strategies, Age-stage two-sex life table studies are considered best option and are suitable especially to evaluate the population parameters of any insect that is subjected to the sublethal dose of any insecticide like diafenthiuron. Additionally, Age-stage two-sex life table incorporates all the necessary parameters like stage differentiation and sex ratio which is compulsory for evaluation of any insecticide as a possible candidate for insect baits (Cira et al., 2017; Nawaz et al., 2017; Chi et al., 2020). This study was conducted to observe transgenerational effects exerted by diafenthiuron on M. domestica populations. We hypothesize that sublethal doses of diafenthiuron will decrease the reproductive potential and population growth of M. domestica making it suitable insecticide for future baiting programs.