An alternative source of blood protein for screwworm (Diptera : Calliphoridae) larval diet

Larvae of screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), were reared on die ts with varying concentrations of spray dried animal blood cells, spray dri ed inedible egg product, and powdered milk substitute, and compared with th ose reared on spray dried whole bovine blood-based diet currently used for mass rearing. Mean larval weight, pupal weight, number of pupae, adult emer gence, sex ratio, longevity, fecundity, and fertility obtained from the tes ts with animal blood cell based diets were similar to those from tests with whole bovine blood based diet. The animal blood cell based diet has potent ial for use in the mass production of screwworm larvae.