Effect of Diet on Longevity and Fecundity of Laboratory-Reared Face Flies

Abstract

Known numbers of laboratory-reared face flies, Musca autumnalis De Geer, were fed diets containing sugar and various proteinaceous materials. The materials were powdered milk, egg solids, whole beef blood, yeast hydrolysate, peptone, and blood albumin. These laboratory studies indicated that sugar is essential for adult survival and that a proteinaceous substance is necessary for reproduction. The most successful protein diets were 5 or 10% blood and 5% milk added to 5% sugar.