Thermal Preference of Immature House Flies (Musca Domestica) (Diptera: Muscidae)
Abstract
House flies are a widespread, pestiferous insect responsible for causing human nuisance as well as pathogen transmission to humans and animals. While adult fly behavior has been relatively well-studied, little is known about larval behavior. Manipulation of larval behavior may be useful to manage fly populations, reducing adult fly numbers without the need for chemical insecticides. In this study, we determined larval temperature preference by applying a temperature gradient to developmental media containing third instar fly larvae that were initially distributed evenly throughout the media. Following a 4 to 6-h assay period during which larvae could move freely within the media, larvae were found to aggregate within a relatively narrow temperature range similar to previously reported studies.