BLOOD MEAL MANIPULATION AND IN-VITRO COLONY MAINTENANCE OF HAEMATOBIA-IRRITANS (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE)

A series of experiments was conducted to determine survival and reprod uctive potential of Haematobia irritans (L.) adults that were fed sodi um citrated-bovine blood diluted with deionized water, 0.5 M glucose, or 0.15 M sodium chloride (NaCl), or supplemented with adenosine triph osphate (ATP). Reproductive potential, measured by total number of lar vae produced per female during 10-d experimental periods, improved whe n adult H. irritans were fed blood diluted by <22% with deionized wate r, NaCl, or glucose, whereas female survival improved when fed blood d iluted with deionized water or NaCl (by almost-equal-to 25%). Male sur vival declined whenever blood meals were diluted. Larval production al so improved when blood previously stored at -20-degrees-C was diluted by almost-equal-to 21% with deionized water. Addition of ATP to blood stored at 3-degrees-C did not improve larval production or female surv ival; however, ATP added to blood stored at -20-degrees-C increased la rval production and female survival. Male survival was not improved by addition of ATP to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. Blood mea ls were toxic to H. irritans when greater-than-or-equal-to 5 x 10(-2) M ATP was added to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. A colony o f H. irritans was maintained for five generations by feeding adult fli es on citrated bovine blood that had been stored at -20-degrees-C, sup plemented with 5 x 10(-3) M ATP, and diluted with deionized water. Fli es were fed through a nylon-reinforced silicone membrane throughout th is experimental period. Female survival and larval production were una ffected by the adult fly feeding regimen. Male survival was reduced du ring 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 larval rearing. Potential for col ony population growth was estimated using F4 female survival and resul ting larval production, pupation, and adult eclosion. An almost-equal- to 24-fold increase in population size per generation could be realize d by collecting all eggs produced by 6-12-d-old females.