Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T18:42:24.648Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of diet on the life-span and egg maturation of caged adult sheep headflies, Hydrotaea irritans (Fallén) (Diptera: Muscidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

A. D. Berlyn
A. D. Berlyn
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A method for maintaining adults of Hydrotaea irritans (Fall.) in captivity in groups, pairs or singly, is described. Male flies lived about half as long as females. Plies required carbohydrate and water for survival. A 50% honey solution, a 50% sucrose solution, thistle flowers and aphid honeydew all met the energy requirements of H. irritans, unlike blood, serum, milk, sweat, dung and mucus. The number of eggs matured was greatest on a diet of carbohydrate with blood or serum. Fewer eggs developed in flies given a diet of carbohydrate with milk, and very few on a diet of carbohydrate with horse sweat, cow sweat, dung or mucus. No eggs were matured by females fed on carbohydrate alone. All males had active spermatozoa whether or not they were fed on blood, but females were only inseminated after both they and the males with which they were kept had been given blood. The insemination rate was low at 13·3%. Females required more than one blood-meal, but not more than one every third week, in order to develop the maximum number of eggs.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 69 , Issue 2 , June 1979 , pp. 299 - 307
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Berlyn, A. D.. (1978). The field biology of the adult sheep headfly, Hydrotaea irritans (Fallén) (Diptera: Muscidae), in south-western Scotland. — Bull. ent. Res.. 68, 431–436.Google Scholar
Bursell, E.. (1970). Feeding, digestion and excretion, pp. 305–316in Mulligan, H. W.. (Ed.). The African trypanosomiases.—950 pp. London, Allen and Unwin.Google Scholar
Fiske, W. F.. (1920). Investigations into the bionomics of Glossina palpalis. — Bull. ent. Res. 10, 347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenberg, B.. (1971). Flies and disease. Vol. I. Ecology, classifications and biotic associations. — 856 pp. Princeton, Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Kirkwood, A. C.. (1976). Ovarian and larval development of the sheep headfly, Hydrotaea irritans (Fallén) (Diptera, Muscidae). — Bull. ent. Res. 66, 757–763.Google Scholar
Saunders, D. S.. (1962). Age determination for female tsetse flies and the age compositions of samples of Glossina pallidipes Aust., G. palpalis fuscipes Newst. and G. brevipalpis Newst. — Bull. ent. Res. 53, 579–595.Google Scholar
Shorey, H. H.., Bartell, R. J., Barton Browne, L. B. (1969). Sexual stimulation of males of Lucilia cuprina (Calliphoridae) and Drosophila melanogaster (Drosophilidae) by the odours of aggregation sites. — Ann. ent. Soc. Amer. 62, 1419–1421.Google Scholar
Southon, H. A. W.. & Cockings, K. L.. (1963). Laboratory maintenance of Glossina. In Annual report 1961. East African Trypanosomiasis Research Organization. Nairobi, East African High Commission.Google Scholar
Tyndale-biscoe, M.. & Hughes, R. D.. (1969). Changes in the female reproductive system as age indicators in the bushfly, Musca vetustissima Wlk. — Bull. ent. Res. 59, 129–141.Google Scholar
Webber, L. G.. (1957). Utilization and digestion of carbohydrates by the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina. — Aust. J. Zool. 5, 164–172.Google Scholar