Olfactory response of the blowfly, <i>chrysomya chloropyga</i> (wied.) (diptera: calliphoridae) to odour sources

Abstract

Attractants to the blowfly, Chrysomya chloropyga, in the enviroment were used to studybait preference of the fly in the laboratory. The attractants included sheep dung, decayed liver, poultry dung, fresh liver and mixture of ground rice and fish paste. C. chloropyga were reared on a mixture of ground rice and fish, and sugar in the laboratory. The flies were separated into sexes at emergence. The male and female flies were divided into batches each. A batch of male flies and a batch of female flies were separately maintained on liver and sugar while another batch of male flies and a batch of female flies were also maintained on sugar only. Olfactory response to the various attractants was thereafter determined using eight-day old flies. Female maintained on only sugar and those maintained on sugar and liver responded faster to fresh and decayed liver and poultry dung than males similarly maintained. Females on sugar only responded faster to fresh and decayed liver and poultry dung than females maintained on sugar and liver. There was no significant difference in the males similarly maintained, to fresh and decayed liver and poultry dung. Previous exposure to either sugar only or to liver and sugar influenced the response of the females to the odour sources.

 Keywords: Chyrsomya, Olfactory Response, Liver, Dung, Mixture of Rice and Fish.