Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #72910
Title: A TECHNIQUE FOR THE COLLECTION AND REARING OF LATE-STAGE 3RD-INSTARS OF HYPODERMA LINEATUM (DIPTERA: OESTRIDAE)

Author
item Pruett Jr, John
item Kunz, Sidney

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/7/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The common cattle grub is an economically important pest of cattle. The cattle grub has a complex life-cycle as it spends 10 mo within the tissues of the cow. Studies of the biology of this cattle parasite are hindered by the seasonal availability of adult flies. The existing larval collection techniques are labor intensive, and costly. In this study, we describe a new collection technique that is inexpensive and requires limited labor. Infested calves are maintained in individual stalls with floors of expanded metal. As larvae exit the back tissues, they are collected on a screen placed beneath the expanded metal floor. Collection of larvae can be accomplished by a single technician as the stalls are cleaned. The increased collection efficiency, over previous techniques, reduces the number of infested cattle required for adult fly production. This technique will find utility in research experiments designed to evaluate the efficacy of pesticides and vaccines, where it is necessary to challenge infested cattle. The collection technique described in this report should make the possibility of cattle grub control by the sterile insect technique more feasible by reducing the cost of sterile fly production.

Technical Abstract: An inexpensive and efficient technique for the collection and rearing of late-stage, 3rd instar Hypderma lineatum is described. Yearling calves were maintained in individual stalls with expanded metal floors. Larvae exited the back tissues naturally and fell through the expanded metal floors and were collected on screens located beneath the floor. In 2 seasons (1994-1996) 633 late-stage, 3rd-instars were collected from a total of 29 infested calves. Five hundred adult flies were produced from 597 3rd-instars placed in the incubator for adult fly production with a male-female sex ratio of 249-247.