Eur. J. Entomol. 92 (4): 615-622, 1995
Effects of larval crowding on size and fecundity of the blow fly, Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
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Increased crowding of larvae of the blow fly, Calliphora vicina, within a standard quantity of meat led to reduced larval and puparial weight, shortened development, reduced adult size, and lowered fecundity. Apparent ''critical weights'' for pupariation in overcrowded cultures were lower than those for larvae manually extracted from under-crowded cultures, suggesting that weight per se is not the decisive factor but - within a rather wide size range - a period of feeding after the moult to the third instar is necessary for onward development to the next instar.
Keywords: Calliphora vicina, larval overcrowding, body size, development, fecundity, critical weights, pupariation, eclosion
Accepted: February 10, 1995; Published: November 30, 1995 Show citation
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