Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Muscidae”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Feeding Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae) adults through a nylon-reinforced silicone membrane.

A nylon-reinforced silicone membrane used to feed Haematobia irritans (L.) adults was found to be equally effective as the currently used blood-soaked cotton method. Membranes consisted of nylon bridal veil embedded in a thin layer of clear silicone caulk prepared by pressing bridal veil and silicone caulk bead between two brass rollers, using Parafilm and office paper as support materials. Membrane thickness was regulated by varying the space between the brass rollers. Feeding success was measured by adult survival, fecundity, and fertility during 10-d experimental periods. Adults fed successfully through 0.02-, 0.03-, and 0.06-mm-thick membranes, but not 0.08- and 0.11-mm-thick membranes. More larvae were produced by flies that were presented the rough surface than the smooth surface if the membranes were 0.03 or 0.06 mm thick. Similarly, female and male survival was higher when the rough membrane surface was presented. Female survival was unaffected by thickness (between 0.02 and 0.06 mm), whereas male survival decreased as thickness increased. Membranes that were 0.03 and 0.06 mm thick leaked at a greater rate if the smooth surface was presented to the flies, and 0.02-mm-thick membranes leaked regardless of the surface presented. When adults were maintained at a density of 0.42 fly per cm3, larval production was maximized when 22 flies were feeding per 1.0 cm2 of membrane surface. It was not possible to determine the optimum fly density per 1.0 cm2 of membrane surface when flies were maintained at a density of 0.10 fly per cm3.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Replacement times, storage, and vertebrate host source of blood for in vitro feeding of Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae) adults.

Studies were conducted to determine optimum replacement intervals, storage times, and vertebrate source of blood used to feed Haematobia irritans (L.) adults in vitro. Feeding success was measured by the total number of larvae produced per female during 10-d experimental periods which combined adult female survival, egg production, and egg hatch. The number of larvae per female was reduced significantly when blood replacement intervals were increased from 24 to 48 h; however, blood replacement intervals could be increased to 48 h without affecting larval production if the blood was agitated continuously. Maximum larval production was obtained when adult flies fed on whole, citrated bovine blood that had been stored at 3 degrees C for 2 wk; however, there was no difference in the number of larvae produced per female when adults were fed blood stored at -20 degrees C for 2-52 wk. Significantly more larvae were produced when adults fed on citrated porcine blood than bovine or ovine blood.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Adult emergence patterns in Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae).

Adult emergence patterns were investigated in four lines of face flies, Musca autumnalis De Geer, in a 16:8 (L:D) h photoperiod and corresponding 30:25 degrees C thermo-period. Most emergence occurred in a specific time interval ("emergence gate") that began at 2000 hours and continued until 1200 hours. A cohort of puparia completed emergence in two or three consecutive emergence gates. The four lines showed different median times and rates of emergence. Laboratory rearing seemed to select progeny of earlier median times and faster rates of emergence. F1 progeny of the two lines showed patterns of emergence intermediate between those of the parents. Female flies tended to eclose earlier than males in all lines.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Solar-powered electrocuting trap for controlling house flies and stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae).

A portable trap was constructed that was visually attractive to house flies, Musca domestica L., and stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), outdoors. The trap was made of a white and yellow pyramid placed on top of a white vertical base that had large cutouts in each side. Attracted flies were killed by means of solar-powered electrocuting grids. Three traps killed an average of 1,360 house flies and 1,190 stable flies per day at a manure dump and were effective in attracting flies under both cool (< 23 degrees C) and warm (> 30 degrees C) temperatures. Both species of flies were most attracted to the eastern side of the trap, but house flies preferred yellow in cool mornings and white in warm afternoons. When air temperatures were > 30 degrees C, both house flies and stable flies went into the shaded base of the trap or into tunnels. Most house flies were killed on the pyramidal top of the trap, whereas most stable flies were killed on the vertical base. Opaque fiberglass tunnels with central electrocuting grids were simpler and cheaper, although less effective, for stable flies.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Seasonal abundance of stable flies and house flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in dairies in Alberta, Canada.

Seasonal abundance of stable flies and house flies was studied at four dairies in southern Alberta, Canada, from May to October in 1989, 1990, and 1991. Stable flies were active from May to October in all years and showed population peaks in August and September. The weekly rate of change of stable fly populations was influenced by temperature and accumulated degree-days above 10 degrees C. The weekly rate of change of stable fly populations showed four peaks which were attributed to the emergence of an initial generation which had overwintered, followed by an additional three generations. Stable fly attacks on dairy cows occurred mainly from July through October, corresponding with the last two generations. House fly population abundance was much lower than stable fly populations and showed peaks in June, July, and September. Weekly changes in house fly abundance were not influenced by temperature and only weakly influenced by accumulated degree-days above 10 degrees C. Peaks in the weekly rate of change were associated with emergence of an initial, overwintering generation followed by four generations produced throughout the summer.

Alberta↗
PubMed1994

Effects of anoxia during gamma irradiation on face fly fertility and viability (Diptera: Muscidae).

Irradiating 6-d-old Musca autumnalis De Geer pupae in nitrogen with 500-2,500 rads did not affect adult emergence, female fecundity, or male competitiveness. Male and female fertility decreased with increased dose, reaching about 1% at 2,500 rads. Egg to adult survival upon backcrossing irradiated males or females to unirradiated flies was only 7% at 1,500 rads and 0.7% at 2,000 rads. Doses of up to 2,000 rads did not affect male survival, but males treated with 2,500 rads had reduced survival rates. These results are better than those with irradiation in air and indicate that irradiation with 1,800-2,000 rads in nitrogen would maximize dominant lethality and minimize fitness loss.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Cryobiology of the face fly and house fly (Diptera: Muscidae).

Face flies, Musca autumnalis De Geer, have a circumpolar distribution and overwinter as adults in reproductive diapause. House flies, Musca domestica L., have a cosmopolitan distribution and overwinter in northern latitudes in animal confinement quarters. We compared supercooling points with low temperature tolerances, as measured by bioassays, in all developmental stages of both species. There was no correlation between supercooling points and the ability to survive subzero temperatures. Rapid cold hardening was induced in adults of both species by a 2-h acclimation period at 0 degrees C. Hemolymph melting points were measured osmometrically in diapausing and reproductive face flies. Freezing point depressions differed between diapausing and reproductive flies and between reproductive flies given a 2-h pre-exposure to 0 degrees C and unexposed flies. Our data suggest that a -8 to 8 degrees C range with a mean close to 0 degrees C is necessary for successful face fly overwintering. House fly overwintering sites must offer microhabitats that remain above -5 degrees C with sufficient time above 10 degrees C to allow larval, pupal, and ovarian development.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1994

Face fly (Diptera: Muscidae) gynandromorph.

Single specimens of adult face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer, gynandromorphs from laboratory and field populations are described and illustrated. The head of all individuals possessed male characteristics (i.e., a narrow interocular area when compared with the interocular area of females), and dorsal and ventral aspects of the abdomen possessed color patterns of both sexes. A possible mechanism of face fly gynandromorphism is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Blood meal manipulation and in vitro colony maintenance of Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae).

A series of experiments was conducted to determine survival and reproductive potential of Haematobia irritans (L.) adults that were fed sodium citrated-bovine blood diluted with deionized water, 0.5 M glucose, or 0.15 M sodium chloride (NaCl), or supplemented with adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Reproductive potential, measured by total number of larvae produced per female during 10-d experimental periods, improved when adult H. irritans were fed blood diluted by < 22% with deionized water, NaCl, or glucose, whereas female survival improved when fed blood diluted with deionized water or NaCl (by approximately 25%). Male survival declined whenever blood meals were diluted. Larval production also improved when blood previously stored at -20 degrees C was diluted by approximately 21% with deionized water. Addition of ATP to blood stored at 3 degrees C did not improve larval production or female survival; however, ATP added to blood stored at -20 degrees C increased larval production and female survival. Male survival was not improved by addition of ATP to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. Blood meals were toxic to H. irritans when > or = 5 x 10(-2) M ATP was added to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. A colony of H. irritans was maintained for five generations by feeding adult flies on citrated bovine blood that had been stored at -20 degrees C, supplemented with 5 x 10(-3) M ATP, and diluted with deionized water. Flies were fed through a nylon-reinforced silicone membrane throughout this experimental period. Female survival and larval production were unaffected by the adult fly feeding regimen. Male survival was reduced during the F1, F2, and F3 generations; however, declines did not affect colony maintenance. Percentage pupation increased during the F2 and F3 generations and adult eclosion declined in the F3 and F4 generations, changes attributed to conditions of larvae rearing. Potential for colony population growth was estimated using F4 female survival and resulting larval production, pupation, and adult eclosion. An approximate of 24-fold increase in population size per generation could be realized by collecting all eggs produced by 6-12-d-old females.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1995

Trials of traps and attractants for Stomoxys spp. (Diptera: Muscidae).

Five blue and black cloth traps designed for tsetse were tested for their ability to catch Stomoxys spp. in Kenya. Significantly greatest catches were obtained with Vavoua traps, which then were used to compare odor baits at Nairobi Park. Acetone, lactic acid, and animal urine (cow, buffalo, waterbuck, camel) or dung (rhinoceros, elephant, hippopotamus) did not increase catches. However, 1-octen-3-ol dispensed at 0.2-2.0 mg/h increased catches up to 3.7-fold. Vavoua traps were highly specific for Stomoxyinae, with 80% of the catch consisting of 11 different taxa of Stomoxys as well as genera such as Prostomoxys, Haematobosca, Stygeromyia, and Rhinomusca. During periods of peak seasonal abundance, up to 3,000 Stomoxys per day were collected in an octenol-baited Vavoua trap. These high catches suggest that Vavoua traps may be of practical use for fly control in isolated settings at a relatively low cost.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Structural characterization of muscles and epithelial sheaths of the oviduct of Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae).

Fine structure of both muscle and epithelial cells in the oviduct of Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) was characterized. Each tubular section of the oviduct consisted of an inner epithelial sheath enveloped by an outer network of muscle fibers that showed noticeable variation in cross-sectional thickness. Some regions consisted of a single cellular layer, whereas others were composed of two or more layers of cells. Moreover, a wide variation in muscle fiber orientation was observed, with some cells appearing circular and others appearing nearly longitudinal. The myofibrils of oviduct muscles were separated into sarcomeres of irregular alignment. The classical A (1 microns in length) and I bands of myofilaments were evident, but the Z disk consisted of discontinuous rows of dense bodies. In partially contracted muscle cells, some myofilaments of the A band passed between the dense bodies of the Z band. T-system tubules were evident and formed dyads with sarcoplasmic reticulum. The structural integrity of the oviduct was maintained by connective tissue strands between muscles and the epithelial sheath. Many of these strands consisted of basal lamina. Epithelial cells that line the inner sheath of the oviduct were cuboidal. In transection, these cells revealed a prominent apical microvillar region with large numbers of mitochondria and an extensive infolding of the basal plasma membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Temperature and population density effects on feeding activity of Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) on cattle.

The relationship of population density and temperature to feeding activity of stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), on cattle was studied by placing cattle in constant temperature chambers with controlled fly density and temperature. The number of flies per front leg declined within hours after release but increased with fly density and temperature. The time flies spent on the host during a 5.5-h exposure period ranged from < 2.5 min at temperature < 16 degrees C to > 34 min when temperature was > 20 degrees C. Estimates of the temperature threshold for flight ranged from 10.7 to 20.1 degrees C and were influenced by density and time after release. Nearly 45% of the feeding flies were on the front legs, and this proportion was unaffected by density, temperature, and time after release. In the field, the number of flies per foreleg also was influenced by density and temperature. Estimated flight threshold was 10.7 degrees C, low enough to allow flight during 41-95% of the daylight hours from May through October in southern Alberta.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Antibody responses in cattle infested with Haematobia irritans irritans (Diptera: Muscidae).

Antibody response to feeding by the horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans (L.), was measured in naturally infested cattle as well as in controlled infestations. Humoral antibody level was not correlated with fly abundance in natural infestations. Correlations between the antibody response and fly abundance were extremely variable among animals. Antibody response to horn fly salivary antigens peaked within 4 wk after fly abundance reached 150 flies per animal. In controlled infestations, antibody response was weak during an initial exposure to 200 flies per animal, but increased after flies were removed from the cattle. Horn fly salivary antigen may have an immunomodulatory effect on the host.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Pterin quantity and gonotrophic stage as indicators of age in Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae).

Spectrofluorimetric methods were used to measure pterin quantities in the head capsules of adult face flies, Musca autumnalis De Geer. Quantities at eclosion were greater in males than in females, and were proportional to the head capsule width in each sex. Pterin accumulated as a linear function of time at constant temperature, at rates of 3.8 relative fluorescence units per degree-day in males and 1.68 units in females, both above a common base of 9.8 degrees C. A mark-release-recapture experiment revealed that pterin accumulated at a rate of 6.40 units per degree-day among males, twice as fast as in the laboratory. In contrast, accumulation among females was 1.35 units per degree-day, approximating their laboratory rate. Gonotrophic age grading of recaptured females indicated median development rates corresponded with expectations based on earlier laboratory studies, but substantial variation among females led to imprecise estimates of chronological age. Calibration curves for each sex are presented to estimate degree-day age from head capsule width and pterin content. The pterin age-grading method allows the field study of longevity of male face flies, and complements gonotrophic methods for the study of longevity and reproductive success of females.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Age structure and reproductive composition of summer Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae) populations estimated by pterin concentrations.

Pterins in face flies, Musca autumnalis DeGeer, were measured spectrofluorimetrically to estimate the chronological ages of adults in natural summer populations. The age distributions showed a systematic undersampling of young males. Exponential, Gompertz, and Weibull models were fitted to the age distributions. A 1-parameter exponential model suggested mean daily survival rates of 0.83 for female face flies, and a mean life expectation of 5.5 d. But the Weibull model best fit the age distributions, providing mean life expectations of 10.1 and 11 d for males and females, respectively. Ovarian dynamics were examined with respect to chronological age and delays were detected in vitellogenesis and oviposition. Face fly populations seemed to reproduce at less than the maximum rate allowed by prevailing temperatures, at which it was estimated that an average female would undergo 2.2 ovarian cycles and have a lifetime fecundity of 28.5 female progeny.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Status of Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae) insecticide resistance in northeastern Mexico.

Horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), populations in northeastern Mexico were surveyed for resistance to fenvalerate and coumaphos. Compared with a susceptible strain of horn flies, resistance levels among field populations for the pyrethroid, fenvalerate, ranged from 36 to 199 times at the LD50 level, indicating that horn fly control with pyrethroids would be unsatisfactory. Resistance to the organophosphate compound, coumaphos, was less evident, with flies at only 1 of 5 locations showing levels of tolerance that might interfere with adequate control.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effects of immersion in water on survival of preimaginal stages of Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae).

Laboratory studies on effects of immersion and immersion duration on all Haematobia irritans (L.) preimaginal stages revealed a significant disparity in tolerance limits among different developmental stages and in tolerance to different immersion durations (0, 1, 6, 18, and 30 h). Of the 4 preimaginal stages, 2nd instars were most susceptible to immersion of any duration, whereas eggs and pupae were most resistant. All instars were intolerant of immersion durations >6 h, with <10% survival at 6-, 18-, and 30-h immersion durations. Survival of 2nd instars was reduced to 38% by 0-h immersion, when compared with the control group. Adult eclosion was reduced by immersion durations of 18 and 30 h during the pupal stage. Life stage survival was dependent upon immersion duration, with survival generally decreasing as a negative linear function of increasing immersion duration. Immersion durations of 0, 1, 6, 18, and 30 h resulted in overall mortality rates of approximately 30, 37, 53, 61, and 82%, respectively. In wet regions with low elevations, water accumulation may significantly affect horn fly distribution and abundance. In drier regions, where flooding events are sporadic and water accumulation variable, the effect on horn fly populations is uncertain.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Population genetics and gene variation of stable fly populations (Diptera:Muscidae) in Nebraska.

Genetic variation in stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), populations from Nebraska, Canada, and Texas was sampled. Four of 12 allozyme loci were polymorphic, with an average of 1.7 alleles per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.086 and 0.070, respectively. Nei's genetic distance between populations averaged 0.001 and ranged from 0.000 to 0.005. Wright's F statistics revealed greater variation within than among populations. Allele frequencies were homogeneous among temporal samples from a single population. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of 6.4 kb of the mitochondrial DNA genome with 16 restriction enzymes revealed no variation in stable fly populations from Canada, Nebraska, and Texas. PCR-RFLP analysis of a 2.0-kb fragment of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internally transcribed spacer region also revealed no variation. The lack of genetic differentiation among stable fly populations indicates high levels of gene flow among populations. The low levels of variation observed with biochemical and molecular techniques are consistent with a genetic bottleneck during stable fly colonization of North America.

Animals↗