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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Plant Introduction Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #160899
Title: LAB REARING TECHNIQUES FOR BLUE BOTTLE FLIES (CALLIPHORA SP.) AT THE NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL PLANT INTRODUCTION

Author
item Hanlin, Steve
item McClurg, Sharon

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting North Central Branch
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/26/2004
Publication Date: 3/28/2004
Citation: Hanlin, S.J., Mcclurg, S.G. 2004. Lab rearing techniques for Blue Bottle Flies (Calliphora sp.) at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting North Central Branch.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Blue bottle flies have been reared at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) in Ames, IA since February, 2001, for use in pollinating a variety of crops in field and greenhouse cages. The diets developed are based on the artificial laboratory diets used for rearing screwworm flies at the USDA-ARS Screwworm Research Laboratory in Chiapas, Mexico. Adults are fed an egg/syrup paste once per week to accelerate oocyte maturation; they also receive a continuous supply of honey and water. Eggs are collected from the rearing cages once a week. Oviposition media is fresh larval diet topped with thin slices of raw liver to encourage egg laying. Ca. 24 hours after introduction to the rearing cage, the oviposition media with resulting eggs and neonates is placed on 1.5 liters of larval diet (blood meal, dried egg and dried milk in an agarose base) within a 19 liter plastic bucket. The bucket is capped with a tight fitting screened lid to contain mature larvae. One week after larval diet is infested, vermiculite is added to the bucket for pupation medium. Pupation occurs ca. eight to ten days after larval diet is infested and pupae are retrieved two weeks after diet is infested. Pupae are stored in layers of vermiculite or sawdust at 0-2 degrees C for up to ca. 3 weeks before use in pollination cages.