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Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The ability of house fly, Musca domestica L., larvae to develop in certain areas of beef and dairy cattle confinement lots is well known. However, the amount of manure nutrients and moisture needed in the soil to support fly development was not previously measured. With these tests, I determined that house fly larvae will develop in coarse sand containing just 0.47 percent manure solids and 4.74 percent moisture. Development is slow (21.5 d from 1st-instar larva to adult), adult survival is low (7.5 percent), but successful development can occur. More studies are needed to learn how fly larvae use nutrient rich soil substrates in conjunction with associated physical and microclimatic variables. Technical Abstract: House fly, Musca domestica L., larvae were reared in a number of sand and manure diets to determine how much manure and moisture were needed for the fly to develop successfully. House fly larvae will develop in coarse sand containing just 0.47 percent manure solids and 4.74 percent moisture. Development is slow (21.5 d from 1st-instar larva to adult), adult survival is low (7.5 percent), but successful development can occur. Manure solids in field-collected samples exceeded all levels tested in the laboratory. These results show that house flies can use soil substrates in cattle lots for development while cattle are present in the lots. More work is needed to determine the significance of flies developing in these areas. |
