In Northern Nigeria many of the streams are choked with the Palm, Raphia sudanica, which affords excellent conditions for Glossina tachinoides. The mid-ribs of the palm fronds provide long, straight, light poles which are invaluable for roofing in a country where small straight timber is non-existent.

In areas where the palms grow to a good height, there is an important local pole-cutting industry which results in the cutters coming into close contact with tsetse. A high incidence of sleeping sickness is often associated with villages engaged in this trade. The usual solution of clearing the stream-banks of vegetation is obviously undesirable in these cases, and the following method of control has therefore been devised.