Physical and Physiological Effects on the Response of Female Screwworms, Cochliomyia Hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae), to Carrion Odors in an Olfactometer1

Abstract

An olfactometer bioassay was developed to study screwworm attractants in the laboratory. Maximum attractancy and activity in the olfactometer occurred at a wind speed of 1 m/s, a light intensity of 10.8 lx, a humidity of 50% RH, a temperature of 27°C, and an exposure period of 15 min. The attractant source was a 25% solution of spent larval rearing medium (vat Auid) applied at a volume of 0.1 cm³ to a watersaturated dental roll. Flies fed on meat or blood were less attracted to vat fluid. It was concluded that vat fluid produced a feeding attractant.