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Mortality of eggs and larvae of the bush fly, Musca vetustissima Walker (Diptera: Muscidae), caused by scarabaeine dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in favourable cattle dung

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

T. J. Ridsdill-Smith ,
L. Hayles  and
M. J. Palmer
T. J. Ridsdill-Smith
Affiliation:
Division of Entomology, CSIRO, Private Bag, P.O. Wembley, Western Australia 6014, Australia
L. Hayles
Affiliation:
Division of Entomology, CSIRO, Private Bag, P.O. Wembley, Western Australia 6014, Australia
M. J. Palmer
Affiliation:
Division of Mathematics and Statistics, CSIRO, Private Bag, P.O. Wembley, Western Australia 6014, Australia
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Abstract

The mortality of eggs and larvae of Musca vetustissima Walker, caused by two scarabaeine dung beetles was measured in the laboratory in favourable cattle dung at 23°C. Eggs and larvae less than one day old were the main stages killed in the dung. Mortality from beetles that entered dung immediately after fly oviposition was higher than that from beetles that entered the dung one or three days later. The results also indicated that there are differences between species of dung beetles in the mode of action against the fly. The smaller beetle species, Onthophagus binodis (Thunberg), at densities of 120 beetles/pad caused increased mortalities of 12% of fly eggs and 11% of young larvae but did not affect older larvae, while the larger species, O. ferox Harold, at densities of 48 beetles/pad caused no extra mortality of eggs but did cause an increased mortality of 47% of young fly larvae and 61% of older larvae.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , December 1987 , pp. 731 - 736
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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