Post-Graduate Department of Zoology, Mitbila University, Bibar, India

Bionomics of apholate resistant and normal strain of Musca domestica L.

By R. K. MISHRA

Abstract

Biological differences of normal and apholate selected strains of Musca domestica L. have been studied. It has been found that the female selected with apholate shows severe reduction in the number of eggs deposited per female but the ercentage hatching of eggs is higher in the resistant strain. The longivity of both sexes of the seEcted strain has been found shorter. However, the incubation, larval and pupal duration are prolonged in the strain selected with apholate.

1 Introduction

The insecticide resistant strain of houseflies have received the attention of many workers. BABER, STARNES and STARNES (1948) reported the flies resistant to DDT, showed a higher pupal weight and lower percentage of emergence as compared to the normal flies, while BRUCE (1949) and PIMENTAL, DEWEY and SCHWARDT (1951) observed a longer larval eriod in a DDT resistant strain of

PRATT and WILLIUM (1953) in a DDT resistant strain from New Hemisphere. WMAN (1965) and GRATZ (1966) observed decrease in the oviposition of a dieldrin resistant strain of M . d. nebulo. Other Biological characteristics such as egg production, hatchability, larval duration and adult weight have also been shown to differ in normal and resistant flies (ANSARI 1973).

The present investigation has been undertaken to study the bionomics of chemosterilent (apholate) resistant strains of M . domestica L. when selection pressue was provided with apholate.

M. d. domestica. However, a shorter larva P duration was reported by BABER,

2 Materials and methods

The laboratory culture of Muscu domestica L. was maintained as suggested b GEM and GUPTA (1974). The flies were sexed in the pupal stage and single pair mating was estatlished by placing a male and female in a small wire cage (8 cm X 8 cm) and covered over with mosquito netting. In this way, fifteen pairs of each of the normal and resistant strains were formed. They were kept at a tern erature of 28 k 1 "C and 60 to 70 % relative humidity. Observations were taken round the cloci to note the exact time of eg laying. The number of eggs laid by each female were counted at 24 h intervals on moist black clotk. The incubation period was recorded after half an hour to find out the exact time of hatching of eggs.

U.S. Copyright Clearance Center Code Statement: 0044-2240/79/8802-0222 $ 02.50/0 Z. ang. Ent. 88 (1979), 222-224 0 1979 Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg und Berlin ISSN 0044-2240 / ASTM-Coden: ZANEAE

Bionomics of apholate resistant and normal strain of M . domestica L. 223

Counting numbers of the newly hatched larvae of the two strains were kept in separate jars provided with cotton wool soaked in diluted milk. Observations on the time of pupation were taken after every 24 h and the pu ae thus obtained were observed for finding out the percentage emergence of the adults and the &ration of the pupal period.

3 Results and discussion

The significant effect on the bionomics of M. domestica L. due to the selection pressure with apholate has been summarized in the table. It was observed that

of 46.3 O/o in the ovi osition of resistant strain

was lesser in the case of apholate selected females. 205.4 eggs as compared to 443.6 eggs laid by the

was observed. It was 80.2 eggs per batch in norma f females as against 68.1 of the resistant females.

Biological differences between normal and resistant strains of Muscu domestics

Swains normal resistant Stage

Incubation eriod (h) Percentage atching

Larva Larval duration (d) Percentage of larvae pupated

Pupa Pupal duration (d) Percentage emergence of adult

Adult Pre-oviposition period (d) Oviposition eriod (d) No. of eggs k d per female No. of eggs laid per batch Post-oviposition Longivity of adu&g,dn!t/e female

E Eggs

Total duration of life (from the deposition Oreggs to emergence of adult)

cle in d

12.4 78.6 6.0 87.6 4.0 95.25 4.6 17.83 443.6 80.2 5.9 28.1 28.9 10.51

13.1 90.8 6.5 64.5 4.75 71.5 5.8 6.3

205.4 68.1 3.1 15.3 14.1 11.75

The pre-oviposition period was 4.6 d in the normal strain as against 5.8 d in apholate selected strain while the oviposition and post-oviposition periods reduced from 17.83 and 5.9 d to 6.3 and 3.1 d, respectively in the normal and resistant flies.

The percentage hatch in normal strain was 78.6 O/O as against 90.8 in the case of resistant strain. It was also observed that the incubation, larval, pu a1 and total duration of life cycle were also prolonged in the apholate selecte c f strain. However, the ercentage emergence in resistant flies was considerabl low as

normal males and females was reduced from 28.1 and 28.9 to 15.3 an 14.1 d, respectively in a strain resistant to apholate.

com ared to t K e normal ones. When the flies were selected with ap K olate, a mar K ed difference in the life span of both sexes was observed. The lon ivity of f

224 R. K. Mishra

Zusammenfassung

Zur Bionomie von Apholute-resistenten und normulen Stammen der Stubenfliege Musca domestica L.

Mit dem Sterilantium Apholate behandelte Stubenfliegen zeigten eine starke Verminderung der Zahl abgelegter Eier/9, jedoch war das Schliipfo/o der Eier hoher als bei den resistenten Stbmen. Die Lebensdauer beider Geschlechter des Apholate-Stammes war kiirzer als bei unbehandelten Tieren. Dagegen wurde die Entwicklungszeit der Eier, Larven und Puppen dieses Stammes verlangert.

References

ANSARI, M. A., 1973: Bionomics of normal and chemosterilant resistant strains of Musca domesticu nebulo Fabr. Indian J. Ent. 3.5, 261-263.

BABER, F. H.; PRATT, J. J. jr. and WILLIUM, M., 1953: Some biological variations between strains of resistant and susceptible houseflies. J. econ. Ent. 16, 914-915.

BABER, G. W.; STARNES, 0. and STARNES, E. B., 1948: Resistance of houseflies to insecticides. Soap sanit. Chem., N. Y. 24, 120-121.

BRUCE, W. N., 1949: Latest report on fly control. Pest Control 17, 7-28. GERA, R.; GUFTA, D. S., 1974: A simple method of mass rearing of houseflies, Muscu domestica L.

Labdev J. Sc. Tech., India 12-B, 70-72. GRATZ, N. G., 1966: The efect of the development of dieldrin resistance on the biotic potential of

houseflies in Liberia. Acta trop 23, 108. PIMENTAL, D.; DEWEY, J. E. and SCHWARDT, H. H., 1951: An increase in the duration of life cycle

of DDT resistant strains of the houseflies. J. econ. Ent. 44, 477-481. RAHMAN, S. J., 1965: Bionomics of dieldrin resistant and normal strains of Indian housefly, Musca

domestica nebulo Fabr. Bull. Indian SOC. malar. Commun. Dis. 2. 150-153.

Author’s address: Dr. R. K. MISHRA, Dept. of Zoology, Mithila University, Kameshwaranagar, Darbhanga-846004, Bihar, India