The seasonal incidence of biting flies (Diptera) in Rwenzori National Park and Kigezi Game Reserve, Uganda

Abstract

AbstractBetween January 1965 and August 1967 49 species of biting flies were caught in Langridge and Fredeen traps and from bait animals in western Uganda. Catches were recorded daily, and monthly catches (geometricmeans) of the species most frequent on bullocks were plotted as percentages of the year's catch. Haematobia minuta (Bez.) was the only species to show a unimodal peak; this is attributed to maintenance of soil conditions suitable for the larvae during the short rains (September-November). Bimodal peaks are shown by Haematopota brunnescens Ric, H. patellicorne (End.),Tabanus par Wlk., Stomoxys inornata Grünb., S. nigra nigra Macq. and Haematobosca squalida (Grünb.) (adversely affected by severe dry conditions), by T. taeniola P. de B. and T. thoracinus P. de B. (emergence from pupae coincides with the beginning of the rainy seasons (March-May and September-November)), by Stomoxys omega Newst. and Haematobiaspinigera Mall, (minimum numbers in the wet months September-October), and by species of Haematopota, Tabanus, Chrysops, Stomoxys and Haematobosca(breeding occurs in the rainy seasons). Ill defined cycles are shown by Chrysops distinctipennis Aust, C. longicornis Macq., S.ochrosoma Speiser and females of S. calcitrans (L.) ; Glossina fuscipesNewst., G. fuscipleuris Aust. and G. pallidipes Aust. showed minimum numbers in September-October.