Estimates of population density and dispersal in the blowfly<i>Lucilia sericata</i>(Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Smith, KE; Wall, Richard

doi:10.1017/s0007485300041560

Cited by 34 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is possible, however, that the blowflies fed on T. obscurus tissue or faeces outside UGFR before moving into our sampling area. The few studies on blowfly dispersal, from temperate and subtropical regions (Braack and Retief 1986;Smith and Wall 1998;Tsuda et al 2009), suggested individuals travel 100-2400 m per day, but there is no data available on blowfly travelling distances in the tropics. It is also not known whether blowflies, as opportunistic feeders (Calvignac-Spencer et al 2013b), are more likely to have fed on carcasses, wounds, or faeces.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field calibration of blowfly-derived DNA against traditional methods for assessing mammal diversity in tropical forests

Lee

Gan

Clements

et al. 2016

Genome

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mammal diversity assessments based on DNA derived from invertebrates have been suggested as alternatives to assessments based on traditional methods; however, no study has field-tested both approaches simultaneously. In Peninsular Malaysia, we calibrated the performance of mammal DNA derived from blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) against traditional methods used to detect species. We first compared five methods (cage trapping, mist netting, hair trapping, scat collection, and blowfly-derived DNA) in a forest reserve with no recent reports of megafauna. Blowflyderived DNA and mist netting detected the joint highest number of species (n = 6). Only one species was detected by multiple methods. Compared to the other methods, blowfly-derived DNA detected both volant and non-volant species. In another forest reserve, rich in megafauna, we calibrated blowfly-derived DNA against camera traps. Blowfly-derived DNA detected more species (n = 11) than camera traps (n = 9), with only one species detected by both methods. The rarefaction curve indicated that blowfly-derived DNA would continue to detect more species with greater sampling effort. With further calibration, blowfly-derived DNA may join the list of traditional field methods. Areas for further investigation include blowfly feeding and dispersal biology, primer biases, and the assembly of a comprehensive and taxonomically-consistent DNA barcode reference library.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field calibration of blowfly-derived DNA against traditional methods for assessing mammal diversity in tropical forests

Lee

Gan

Clements

et al. 2016

Genome

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, L. sericata may make much less investment in dispersal flight. For example, Smith & Wall (1998) showed that females of L. sericata dispersed an average of only 100 m during the first ovarian cycle. In contrast, Macleod & Donnelly (1963) produced evidence that C. vicina employed vigorous dispersal flights, and circumstantial evidence in support of this was found during this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lifetime reproductive output of Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata in outdoor caged and field populations; flight vs. egg production?

Davies¹

2006

Medical Vet Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Females of the blowflies Calliphora vicina (Robineau-Desvoidy) and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) maintained in sheltered outdoor cages and supplied with excess food, oviposited later than would have been expected from the temperature-sum. The survival rates of the caged flies was high and the isolation of flies from predation, extreme temperatures and food shortages is likely to have contributed to this. Despite good survival rates, subsequent egg production over the greater part of the adult life span was reduced to approximately 24% for C. vicina and approximately 55% for L. sericata, of the potential expected from the published temperature-sums required for the maturation of successive egg batches. The data suggest that under field-cage conditions there is a considerable variation in egg development between individuals of the same age and that this variation should not be overlooked, since it may have significant implications in ecological and forensic investigations; however, the cause of this variability remains unclear. While lower than expected, the reproductive outputs recorded in the cages were nevertheless considerably greater than those that have been estimated for blowflies in the field and illustrate the potential for population increase in these species under favourable conditions. The possibility of a greater energy investment in flight activity relative to reproductive output in C. vicina compared to L. sericata is proposed.

show abstract

“…In south‐west England, adult L. sericata occur at relatively low population densities in pastureland habitats. Mark–recapture studies have indicated that, even in lowland sheep pastures, densities may be less than one female L. sericata per hectare in May rising, to 20–30 female L. sericata per hectare at peak population densities in August (Smith & Wall 1998). It is therefore probable that, in spring, the abundance of female L. sericata is considerably lower than that of susceptible sheep.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The two farms were matched as closely as possible for factors associated with sheep husbandry and were separated from each other by about 2·5 km. The known rates of dispersal of L. sericata (Smith & Wall 1998) suggest that it was unlikely that flies from these farms were part of the same population. Farm 1 was composed of 90 ha predominantly of permanent pasture, 20–50 m above sea level, on which approximately 250 pedigree Clun Forest ewes were grazed, giving about 350 lambs born between January and March each year.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population dynamics of the sheep blowfly Lucilia sericata: seasonal patterns and implications for control

Cruickshank

Wall

2002

Journal of Applied Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary 1.The infestation of sheep with blowfly larvae (sheep strike) is a significant animal welfare and economic problem in many regions of the world. Improved control requires greater knowledge of the population dynamics of the primary agent of strike in temperate areas, the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). 2. The abundance of L. sericata was recorded on two farms in south-west England between 1990 and 2000, and the time-series analysed to describe and explain the nature of population change within and between years. 3. To examine the catch time-series for periodicity, the data were detrended, demeaned and tapered, and plotted against a day-degree time base. Spectral analysis of periodograms showed that the clearest signal present was the low-frequency seasonal cycle. The only other significant signal in both series had a periodicity corresponding to the day-degree requirements for the entire life cycle of this insect species. This suggests that, within each season, the abundance pattern is composed of a series of semi-discrete generation peaks. 4. Significant density-dependence was detected in the seasonal change in fly abundance and this was shown to be approximately compensatory in action. 5.The results suggest that populations of L. sericata show relatively stable and predictable dynamics, with populations passing through three or four relatively discrete generations each year prior to diapause and limited by strong, apparently compensatory, density-dependence each season. 6. The results have important implications for the control of this insect parasite. In general, earlier and more intense farmer intervention, to reduce sheep susceptibility and treat struck animals during the blowfly season, would result in a lower L. sericata population and reduced strike incidence. However, at the start of the season, when fly abundance may be lower than the number of susceptible hosts, direct fly control, in addition to treatment, may be a more effective strategy.

show abstract

Estimates of population density and dispersal in the blowflyLucilia sericata(Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Cited by 34 publications

References 43 publications

Field calibration of blowfly-derived DNA against traditional methods for assessing mammal diversity in tropical forests

Field calibration of blowfly-derived DNA against traditional methods for assessing mammal diversity in tropical forests

Lifetime reproductive output of Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata in outdoor caged and field populations; flight vs. egg production?

Population dynamics of the sheep blowfly Lucilia sericata: seasonal patterns and implications for control

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About