Measuring the duration and frequency of wing beat of Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae) using a novel tether method

Abstract

AbstractThe wing beat frequencies (WBF) and flight durations of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer (Diptera: Muscidae), were evaluated at 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 days post-eclosion. For flight tests, flies were tethered magnetically using magnetic primer paint. WBF were measured stroboscopically. The average WBF for one-day-old flies was significantly lower compared with the average WBF of all other age groups for both female and male face flies. Based on our results, male and female face flies require more than 24 hours post eclosion to reach a WBF of over 167 beats per second and continuously fly for more than 10 minutes. Age was a significant factor towards WBF. The present study is the first to report laboratory descriptions of face fly flight capabilities. The benefits of the magnetic paint tether (MagPaT) method are discussed.