Entomology, Department of
Date of this Version
1987
Abstract
A liquid diet solidified with an acrylamide-acrylate polymer gelling agent (Water-Lock) was compared with a standard meat diet for rearing screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), larvae. Size and yield of larvae reared on gel diet were equal to, or greater than, those of larvae reared on meat diet. Duration of larval development was increased by ca. 13 h on gel diet; however, variability of pupal weight and larval survival over generations were reduced when gel diet was used. Larval size was also more uniform over the 3-d period when larvae leave the rearing medium to pupate (crawl-off). Gelled diet was more uniform over time than meat diet. In addition, gelled diet was easier to use, less objectionable to workers, and less expensive than meat diet.
Comments
Published in Journal of Economic Entomology 80 (1987), pp. 427-432.