THE RESPONSES OF LUCILIA-CUPRINA TO ODORS FROM SHEEP, OFFAL AND BACTERIAL CULTURES

The responses of gravid female Lucilia cuprina to odours from sheep ur ine, faeces and gut mucus, and to odours from liver/sodium sulphide mi xtures was tested using a bioassay which measured the movement and pro bing response of walking flies. The same bioassay was used to test the response to odours from cultures of bacteria isolated from liver/sodi um sulphide and liver/water mixtures. A significant movement towards o dours from faeces, gut mucus and urine was observed. Odours from cultu res of the bacteria Proteus mirabilis, Dermatophilus congolensis and S erratia marcescens also elicited significant movement. A probing respo nse was elicited by odours from gut mucus, fresh urine, liver/sodium s ulphide mixtures and cultures of P.mirabilis, D.congolensis and gram-p ositive species. Odours from cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enter obacter aerogenes and Citrobacter freundii did not elicit significant movement or probing. The movement and probing responses are discussed with reference to the possible uses of the substances tested as a bait for attracting L.cuprina.