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Winter survival of larvae and pupae of the blowfly, Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

K.M. Pitts
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 IUG, UK
R. Wall*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 IUG, UK
*
*Fax: 0117 928 9182 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The mortality of larvae and pupae of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) were examined during winter and spring, for two or three years. In soil cores in the field, 70–95% of the larvae died overwinter. Larvae congregated in the top 10 cm of the soil core and did not move extensively throughout the column during the winter. Larvae and pupae at greater depth were less likely to pupariate and emerge successfully than larvae closer to the surface. Under semi-natural conditions, where pupae were placed outside in sawdust filled tubes, in the absence of the usual biotic mortality factors, the mortality of larvae was considerably lower and was also unaffected by low winter temperatures. Hence, low temperatures did not appear to be the primary cause of high overwintering mortality in the field which, it is suggested, is more likely to be the result of the action of biotic mortality factors, such as entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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