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ARS Home » Plains Area » Kerrville, Texas » Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169202
Title: IMPROVED MASS REARING TECHNIQUES FOR THE HORN FLY, HAEMATOBIA IRRITANS (L.)(DIPTERA:MUSCIDAE)

Author
item Lohmeyer, Kimberly - Kim
item Kammlah, Diane

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2006
Publication Date: 3/1/2006
Citation: Lohmeyer, K.H., Kammlah, D.M. 2006. Improved mass rearing techniques for the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera:muscidae). Southwestern Entomologist. 31(1):83-85.

Interpretive Summary: Horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), are blood-feeding parasites of cattle throughout most of North and South America. Due to its importance as a pest of cattle and the need for research to devise methods to control populations of the horn fly, a method for rearing this obligate parasite without a host was developed in 1961. The laboratory colony of the horn fly is still an important resource for research and the mass rearing methods published earlier have been improved significantly. Current changes in procedures for media preparation, blood preparation, and rearing techniques enable the Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insect Research Laboratory, Kerrville, TX to produce ca. 48,000 eggs and 24,675 pupae per week. This level of production reflects an increase in the efficiency of egg (7.1%) and pupal (14%) production in comparison with previous production reports and decreases the amount of time required for routine colony maintenance. Current production levels satisfy the research needs of the laboratory as well as providing flies for other laboratories upon request.

Technical Abstract: Horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), are parasites of cattle throughout North and South America. Due to its importance as a pest of cattle and the need for research to devise methods to control populations of the horn fly, a method for rearing this obligate parasite in vitro was developed in 1961. The laboratory colony of the horn fly is still an important resource for research and the mass rearing methods published earlier have been improved significantly. Current changes in procedures for media preparation, bovine blood preparation, and rearing techniques enable the Knipling-Bushland U. S. Livestock Insect Research Laboratory, Kerrville, TX to produce ca. 48,000 eggs and 24,675 pupae per week. This level of production reflects an increase in the efficiency of egg (7.1%) and pupal (14%) production in comparison with previous production reports and decreases the amount of time required for routine colony maintenance. Current production levels satisfy both laboratory research needs as well as providing 'seed stock' for other laboratories.