Calculations of the productivity of Glossina austeni Newst. maintained on goats and on lop-eared rabbits

Abstract

Survival and age-specific fecundity rates are given for samples of Glossina austeni Newst. fed on lop-eared rabbits or goats. From these, rm (the innate capacity for increase in numbers) is calculated as being 0·0173 for rabbit-fed and 0·0157 for goat-fed colonies of flies.The outputs available for disposal from stationary colonies maintained on the two hosts are calculated and the predicted effect of killing the surviving breeding females at various ages is indicated. It is concluded that the weekly output of males, depending on the conditions, could be 20–30% of the number of breeding flies that have to be maintained and that for a given output the number of goat-fed flies that would have to be maintained would be 18–20% greater than the number of rabbit-fed flies. Such small differences in productivity would probably be outweighed by considerations of availability and ease of maintenance of host species in relation to local conditions and costs.It is believed that the maximum output for colonies of G. austeni has been approached.