EFFECT OF BOVINE BLOOD-PLASMA AND ERYTHROCYTE DIETS ON ADULT HORN FLY, HAEMATOBIA-IRRITANS (L) (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE), MORTALITY AND OOGENESIS

Egg production of horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), adults fed a die t of erythrocytes was significantly less than flies fed the standard l aboratory diet of citrated bovine blood, but this difference is incons equential for colony production. Flies fed erythrocyte diets resorbed fewer oocytes in the ovaries than flies fed a bovine blood plasma diet . Adult mortality did not differ significantly among flies fed the pla sma diet and the erythrocyte diet. This work confirms that a requireme nt exists for erythrocytes or some component of erythrocytes in the ho rn fly diet for oogenesis to occur.