ACCELERATION OF DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAE OF THE ONION MAGGOT, HYLEMYA ANTIQUA (MEIG.), BY MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

On a chemical diet, larvae of H. antiqua developed more rapidly in the presence of various living bacteria, of certain nonviable bacterial cells, or of the dialyzate of these cells. The stimulation by the nonviable cells was not affected when the cells were disrupted by sonic treatment. Additions of ashed cells to the chemical diet had no stimulatory effect. Some stimulation in rate of development was noted on addition of casein to the diets but to a lesser degree than that caused by equivalent concentrations of nonviable cells. The growth rate and the rate of metamorphosis stayed in phase with one another when development was accelerated.