The Effects of Temperature and Moisture Levels of the Larval Breeding Medium on Puparial Form in the Buffalo Fly, Haematobia Irritans Exigua (Diptera: Muscidae).

Abstract

The size and shape of the puparium of the buffalo fly is affected by physical conditions in the dung which forms the larval breeding medium. The predominant determinant of both size and shape is moisture, although the magnitude of this effect changes slightly with temperature. Maximum puparial size is achieved when the larvae are reared at a breeding-medium moisture content of approximately 85% of wet weight and a temperature of approximately 25°C. At lesser moisture levels, pupae become consistently smaller and more elongate and suffer a high level of mortality.