FILTH FLY (DIPTERA) OVIPOSITION AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT IN POULTRY MANURE OF VARIOUS MOISTURE LEVELS

Abstract

Oviposition by four species of muscid flies on poultry manure having six levels of moisture in the range of 40–90% was compared using caged populations of adults. Musca domestica L., Muscina stabulans (Fallén), Fannia femoralis (Stein) and Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) deposited more than 50% of their eggs in manure having 70% moisture. Eggs from those fly species and two others, Fannia canicularis (L.) and a stratiomyid, Hermetia illucens (L.), were added to poultry manure having eight levels of moisture in the range of 20–90%, and the development and size of emerging adults determined. None of the species developed in manure with 80 and 90% moisture. Development was mostly in the manure with 40–70% moisture, although some development in drier manure occurred with F. canicularis and H. illucens. For some species there were differences in the survival of fly immatures, development time, and size of the adult flies reared in manure of different moisture levels.