Laboratory evaluation of two aleocharine parasites of the face fly.

Abstract

Two species of alcocharine staphylinid beetles were studied in the laboratory relative to their potential as parasites and predators of the face fly, Musca autumnlis De Geer. Aleochara bimaculata Gravenhorst a cosmopolitan parasite of other muscoid puparia in the United States, was found to parasitize less than 1% of face fly puparia and to cause 19.4% reduction of face flies by predation. Similar studies of a native French parasite of the face fly, A. tristis Gravenhorst, yielded an average of 13.5% parasitism, indicating the species may have a low searching capacity. Predation on face fly eggs and larvae by A. tristis caused a reduction of approximately 10% of face flies reaching the pupal stage.