Bulletin of Entomological Research (1990) 80, 473-478

T.J. Ridsdill-Smith and L. Hayles (1990)
Stages of bush fly, Musca vetustissima (Diptera: Muscidae), killed by scarabaeine dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in unfavourable cattle dung
Bulletin of Entomological Research 80 (4), 473-478
Abstract: The stages of bush fly Musca vetustissima Walker, killed by the dung beetles, Onthophagus binodis Thunberg and Onitis alexis Klug, at low and high densities were measured in cattle dung of low nutritive value. A high level of M. vetustissima mortality occurred in the presence of Onitis alexis and Onthophagus binodis in experiments both in the laboratory at a constant 25°C, and exposed to summer fluctuating temperatures outside. The K values for total egg-puparia mortality increased curvilinearly with increasing log₁₀ beetle numbers. The mortality of older larvae, k₃, was most closely correlated with total mortality, K, where b = 0.720 and r² = 0.931, while a lesser but significant correlation was obtained with mortality of young larvae, k², where b = 0.291 and r² = 0.645, but no correlation was obtained with egg mortality, k₁, where b = -0.010 and r² = 0.058. It is predicted that in unfavourable dung which occurs during summer, mortality of older bush fly larvae will be the key mortality caused by scarabaeine dung beetles.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Thomas James Ridsdill-Smith

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Musca vetustissima