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STUDIES ON LUCILIA SPECIES (DIPTERA) UNDER DANISH CONDITIONS
Author(s) -
CRAGG J. B.
Publication year - 1950
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1950.tb00951.x
Subject(s) - lucilia , myiasis , biology , calliphoridae , hatching , microclimate , calliphora , veterinary medicine , danish , zoology , larva , toxicology , ecology , medicine , linguistics , philosophy
Whilst sheep myiasis caused by Lucilia sericata is a severe economic problem in Great Britain, it rarely reaches such proportions in countries bordering Western Europe. Possible reasons for this relative absence of myiasis were investigated in Denmark. During the period 19 July‐15 August 1948, trapping studies showed that blowflies normally associated with myiasis in Great Britain, and particularly L. sericata , occurred fairly abundantly in the Mols area of Jutland. The reactions of Danish L. sericata to attractive materials placed on sheep were similar to those shown by the species under British conditions. The number of egg batches laid on sheep in response to chemical stimuli were fewer than would have been expected in Great Britain. Studies on the fleece microclimate showed that relative humidities of 50 % or more frequently occurred on the skin surface. Humidities 3 cm. above the skin were markedly lower. Except during or immediately after rain, humidities high enough to ensure the hatching of blowfly eggs were never recorded. It is concluded that the absence of myiasis in Denmark and its relatively low incidence in other countries is not due to the existence on the Continent of a strain of L. sericata differing in oviposition habits from the British species.