Lucilia Sericata Research Articles

Stage Transitions in Lucilia sericata and Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Implications for Forensic Science.

Blow fly development rates have become a key factor in estimating the postmortem interval where blow flies are among the first decomposers to occur on a body. Because the use of blow fly development requires short time durations and high accuracy, stage transition distributions are essential for proper development modeling. However, detailed examinations of stage transitions are not available for any blow fly species. Consequently, we examined this issue in two blow fly species: Lucilia sericata and Phormia regina. Transitions for all life stages across all measured temperatures were normally distributed. Use of probit analysis allowed determination of 50% transition points and associated measures of variation (i.e., standard errors). The greatest variation was noted for the L2-L3, L3-L3m, and L3m-P stage transitions. These results invalidate the notion that largest maggots should be preferentially collected for determining current maggot population stage, and further call into question the relationship between intrinsic variation and potential geographic variation in development rates.

An update on the occurrence of flies (Diptera: Muscidae, Calliphoridae) and sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura) of veterinary importance in Malta: First record of Lucilia cuprina and Linognathus africanus.

To obtain new data on the species diversity, host associations and spatiotemporal occurrence of flies and blood-sucking lice of veterinary importance in Malta, ectoparasites were collected at cattle, sheep and goat, pig farms, as well as dog shelters, and in two places in the absence of domestic animals. The species were identified morphologically, but voucher specimens were also analyzed with molecular-phylogenetic methods following DNA extraction. Altogether 3,095 flies (Diptera: Muscidae, Calliphoridae) were collected at farms and kennels near domestic animals, as well as 37 blowflies (Calliphoridae) in rural and urban areas without animals nearby. Regarding Muscidae, the great majority of flies (n = 3,084) were identified as the common housefly (Musca domestica). Eight flies represented the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans). Three blowflies associated with dogs and small ruminants belonged to Lucilia cuprina. By contrast, all 37 blowflies collected without domestic animals nearby, were identified as Lucilia sericata. In addition, 22 sucking lice were collected from goats, and all belonged to Linognathus africanus. Molecular identification of 28 flies and four lice confirmed the above species. Considering the sex ratio of M. domestica among samples collected randomly at cattle farms, females predominated in the whole study period, but the abundance of males increased significantly toward the autumn. Stomoxys calcitrans was associated with cattle and dogs, whereas L. cuprina was found near small ruminants and dogs. To our knowledge, this is the first study including the molecular analysis of flies and lice of veterinary-medical importance from Malta. The most important finding of this study is the first evidence for the autochthonous occurrence of L. cuprina in Malta. The exclusive presence of L. cuprina at animal-keeping facilities in rural areas and association of L. sericata with urban areas void of livestock might reflect similar habitat preference of these species in Malta to what was reported in South Africa. Based on the sucking-louse burden in the examined goat herds, the situation in Malta was similar to northern Africa where the exclusive presence of L. africanus was reported, unlike toward the north in the Mediterranean Basin where populations of this species are mixed with Linognathus stenopsis.

Response to practice article, 'Phantom pain as an adverse effect after maggot (Lucilia sericata) debridement therapy: a case study'.

Journal of Wound CareVol. 32, No. 3 CorrespondenceResponse to practice article, ‘Phantom pain as an adverse effect after maggot (Lucilia sericata) debridement therapy: a case study’Ronald Arlen ShermanRonald Arlen ShermanCorresponding author email: E-mail Address: [email protected]BioTherapeutics, Education and Research Foundation, USSearch for more papers by this authorRonald Arlen ShermanPublished Online:17 Mar 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/jowc.2023.32.3.193AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References 1 Lipiński P, Trzciński R, Dziki Ł, Mik M. Phantom pain as an adverse effect after maggot (Lucilia sericata) debridement therapy: a case study. J Wound Care 2020; 29(5):303–305. https://doi.org/10.12968/jowc.2020.29.5.303 Link, Google Scholar2 Sherman RA. Maggot versus conservative debridement therapy for the treatment of pressure ulcers. 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Maggot secretions skew monocyte-macrophage differentiation away from a pro-inflammatory to a pro-angiogenic type. PLoS One 2009; 4(11):e8071. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008071 Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar14 Zhang Z, Wang S, Diao Y et al.. Fatty acid extracts from Lucilia sericata larvae promote murine cutaneous wound healing by angiogenic activity. Lipids Health Dis 2010; 9(1):24. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511X-9-24 Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar15 Zhang Z, Wang S, Tian X et al.. A new effective scaffold to facilitate peripheral nerve regeneration: Chitosan tube coated with maggot homogenate product. Med Hypotheses 2010; 74(1):12–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2009.07.053 Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar16 Bexfield A, Bond AE, Morgan C et al.. Amino acid derivatives from Lucilia sericata excretions/secretions may contribute to the beneficial effects of maggot therapy via increased angiogenesis. Br J Dermatol 2010; 162(3):554–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09530.x Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar17 Cazander G, Schreurs MW, Renwarin L et al.. Maggot excretions affect the human complement system. Wound Repair Regen 2012; 20(6):879–886. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-475X.2012.00850.x Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 March 2023Volume 32Issue 3ISSN (print): 0969-0700ISSN (online): 2052-2916 Metrics History Published online 17 March 2023 Published in print 2 March 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Density, Temperature, and Comingled Species Affect Fitness within Carrion Communities: Coexistence in Phormia regina and Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) interactions vary between competition and facilitation. Female blow flies engage in aggregated egg-laying, resulting in larval feeding masses differing in density and species composition. Numerous species are abundant within the same season, and some oviposit near or directly on eggs of other species, modifying their oviposition location choice depending on the presence or absence of other species. The ability to coexist on carrion, a temporary resource, was successfully attributed to resource, spatial, and temporal heterogeneity. Despite these broad categorizations, the specific mechanisms of coexistence within blow fly communities require further investigation. This study investigates variation in temperature and larval density as potential mechanisms of coexistence between two forensically important blow fly species: Lucilia sericata Meigen and Phormia regina Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Larval density, species ratio mix, and ambient temperature during development were manipulated in the presence of conspecifics and heterospecifics in the laboratory, and the fitness of each species was measured. In heterospecific treatments, the survival and body size of P. regina increased even at high ambient temperatures. In contrast, the survival of L. sericata remained unaffected by density or presence of heterospecifics, whereas body size increased in L. sericata-dominated heterospecific treatments depending on temperature and density. The negative effects of density were observed at high ambient temperatures, suggesting that density impacts are a function of ambient temperature. Overall, species coexistence was dependent on temperature, which mediated the outcome of species interactions.

Treatment of a Chronical Infected Wound in a Cat with Sterile Lucilia Sericata Larvae

The larvae of the green bottle fly Lucilia Sericata have been successfully used throughout history as a debridement method for chronic and infected wounds. In 1929, Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin dramatically reduced the use of surgical larvae, but soon after the emergence of antibiotic resistance, sterile larvae re-emerged as an alternative in treatment. For a long time, sterile larvae applications were neglected in veterinary medicine. However, recently, both in the world and in Turkey, MDT is seen as an effective treatment method for chronic wounds of animals. The case of this case report is a 1-yearold male stray cat brought to a private clinic by a benefactor with a chronic infectious wound of 2.5x 2.5 cm and 0.5 cm in depth extending from the distal right hind leg cruris to the region of the ossa tarsi bones. It was decided to apply MDT to the wound using sterile 2nd instar Lucilia Sericata larvae. Sterile 2nd instar larvae were placed in the wound area daily and after 24 hours the larvae were removed, the area was cleaned and then new larvae were placed. Larval treatment was applied 7 times and until the last larva application, the large and infected wound gradually shrank and 100% healing was achieved. In this study, it was reported that Lucilia Sericata larvae showed high recovery in the treatment of chronic wounds of animals and the importance of evaluating them among treatment alternatives was emphasized.

Insect visits and variation of floral temperatures during blossoming of Rafflesia gradutensis

The survival of parasitic plant Rafflesia depends on the host plant, habitat condition, vegetational types, , pollination and the dispersal of seeds. This study aims to investigate visits by insects and variation in floral temperatures of Rafflesia gradutensis during flowering. The flower was observed to be visited by green fly Lucilia sericata and weaver ant Oecophylla sp. The number of visits L. sericata was 617 times and 337 times by Oecophylla sp, in which most of the visits occur during mid-day. The average observed highest surface temperatures of were 28.40C (perigone) and 28.70C (diaphragm), which were slightly above the air temperature of 27.80C. The temperature experiences a gradual increase from the morning till the noon, and then it decreased toward late afternoon. The results of the floral temperatures indicate endothermy in R. gradutensis. However, thermo-regulation related to endothermy needs further investigation.

Forensic veterinary use of the fly Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in the aspect of determining the time of death using tissues treated with calcium diclofenac

Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used both in medicine and veterinary medicine. The aim of the paper was to determine the effect of diclofenac calcium, the active ingredient of a medicine called diclofenac, on the development rate and survivorship of the fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Diclofenac was used at three concentrations: it was mixed with pork meat in proportions 25 mg of the drug 23 g of meat (dose 1), 50 mg/23 g (dose 2) and 75 mg/23 g (dose 3). To compare the results, a control sample was used (23 g of drug-free meat). All diclofenac calcium doses delayed the development of L. sericata. Moreover, all the drug doses (25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg) resulted in body weight loss of L. sericata larvae. Finally, all the drug doses increased the mortality of L. sericata. The findings indicate that forensic entomology and forensic veterinary analyses involving L. sericata need to take into account a potential factor modifying the fly natural life cycle – the presence of diclofenac calcium in the body. A reduction of the body mass and a longer, than normal developmental cycle of L. sericata may be of significant in correctly determining the time of death of humans or animals in cases of diclofenac application.

Anoxia Tolerance in Four Forensically Important Calliphorid Species

Forensically important blow flies, Diptera: Calliphoridae, are among the first organisms to colonize carrion. After eggs hatch, the larvae of most blow fly species feed in an aggregation or “mass”. While in this mass larvae may experience periods of hypoxia/anoxia, but the tolerance of blow fly larvae to anoxic conditions is poorly studied. We tested the anoxia tolerance of four species of calliphorids (Calliphora vicina, Cochliomyia macellaria, Lucilia sericata, and Phormia regina), by examining actively feeding third-stage larvae across five temperatures. Experiments were conducted by exposing larvae to pure nitrogen environments and determining mortality at set time intervals. All species show significant linear relationships between survival time and temperature under anoxic conditions. Of species tested, C. macellaria had the greatest tolerance to anoxia (LT50 of 9 h at 20 °C). In contrast, C. vicina was the least tolerant (LT50 of 2.2 h at 40 °C). With all species, survivorship decreased with increasing temperature. Unlike many other insects tested in severe hypoxia, the larvae of the calliphorids tested, which included members of three subfamilies, were not tolerant of anoxic conditions. From these findings, it seems likely that hypoxia is a significant limitation for maggots in a maggot mass, particularly when the mass temperature is high (>40 °C). Forensically, these data provide a limit on potential maggot survival on bodies that have been submerged or otherwise experience severe hypoxia before discovery.

Perceived stress and readiness to undertake biodebridement in the group of nurses undertaking prevention and treatment of chronic wounds.

Stress as the body's response to adverse stimulus is recognized as one of the key problems in basic and clinical neurological studies. Stress is an indispensable component of modern nursing with its low doses being desirable, however, prolonged stress is detrimental to health increasing the risk of chronic disease i.e., hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, electrolyte disturbances, occupational burnout, depression, anxiety disorders. The implementation of certain techniques and therapeutic methods may have a stressful effect from the point of view of practice and the patient's condition. The authors undertook the study to assess the intensity of the perceived stress in the group of nurses dealing with wound care in the perspective of implementing wound debridment using Lucilia sericata larvae. The study group consisted of 290 nurses specialized in chronic wounds undergoing training at the Postgraduate Training Center of Nurses and Midwives in Rzeszów, out of the entire group of 1.136 individuals participating in training courses organized in Poland in 2020-2021. The study used the diagnostic survey method, the research tool was a scientific research protocol consisting of tools (MDT perception questionnaire, perceived stress scale (PSS-10). Certain differences in the level of stress in the study sample were observed between age categories, but they were not statistically significant. The greatest differences between the levels of stress in the study sample were observed between people who completed treatment courses and those who did not complete these courses. The higher the stress level, the lower the willingness to undertake such therapy. The analysis of grouped data leads to interesting observations. There were statistically significant differences in the score in the MDT10 scale in the categories of people with different stress levels. The highest readiness to implement MDT was observed in the category of people with the lowest perceived level of stress. The level of professional experience related to postgraduate education increases opportunities addressing new professional challenges. The level of perceived stress may influence decisions related to the use of biological therapy. The higher the level of stress, the lower the readiness to undertake MDT.

A Preliminary Study of Body Decomposition and Arthropod Succession in an Arid Area in Northwest China During Summer.

The study of insect fauna and their development and succession patterns on decaying cadavers is crucial to promoting insect evidence as a useful tool in forensic science, particularly for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). Body decomposition and arthropod succession are affected by many factors and exhibit substantial regional variations; therefore, detailed succession studies in different biogeographic regions are required for understanding the successional patterns of insects in various environments. This study was conducted in the summer of 2021 using three domestic pig carcasses (Sus scrofa domestica L., 1758) in the field of Shizuishan City, Ningxia, Northwest China. A total of 40 species of necrophagous insects belonging to three orders and 16 families were collected. Among Diptera, Lucilia sericata (Meigen,1826), Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius,1794), and Phormia regina (Meigen,1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were the dominant species. As for Coleoptera, the dominant species changed throughout the process of carcass decomposition from Saprinus semipunctatus (Fabricius,1792) (Coleoptera: Histeridae) to Dermestes maculatus DeGeer,1774 and Dermestes frischii Kugelann,1792 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). The carcasses desiccated rapidly and reached the remains stage under extreme conditions of high temperatures and low humidity, after which a large amount of dried tissue of the carcasses attracted populations of Coleoptera, particularly Dermstidae, which were abundant and remained until the end of the experiment on day 50. The current study is the first forensic entomological investigation of succession in Northwest China and provides basic data for the estimation of PMI during summer in this region.

Maggot debridement therapy and innovation from myiasis - A review

Maggot debridement therapy is the introduction of live and disinfected fly larvae in a wound in order to aid cleaning and healing. This technique was discovered as a beneficial effect of colonization of human tissue by fly larvae (myiasis). This discovery was made during the World War I when it was observed that injured soldiers whose wounds were infested with maggots healed faster than their counterparts whose wounds were free from maggots. In this therapy, the larvae of Blow fly (Lucilia sericata) are used because they feed exclusively on dead tissues. There are two different ways through which these maggots are applied into the wound, namely, free range dressing and biobag dressing. The mechanism of action of the maggots during debridement involves secretion of digestive enzymes which breakdown the dead tissues, liquidizing it before ingesting the liquefied contents of the wound. They also secrete antimicrobials which inhibit microbial growth in the wound, thereby disinfecting it. This therapy has been successfully used in the treatment of leg ulcers, deep and diabetic wounds in humans. The advantages of maggot debridement therapy are enormous. The cost of using it is relatively low, it quickens healing of wounds, and it is painless. However, the patient may experience irritation and itching at the wound site which is associated with larval movement in the wound. The adoption of this therapeutic wound management is advocated as practical evidence show that it has proven effective in the management of diabetic wounds more than conventional medical practices.

Culture and production of Lucilia sericata Meigen (1826) larvae for rearing stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) using poultry waste

The fly larvae (Lucilia sericata) are being used as an alternative protein source in any kind of animal feed as it reduces the cost of preparation of feed. This current study focused on the physico-chemical and proximate properties of raw poultry waste, while this study also revealed the production process of fly larvae and the proximate composition of it. The poultry waste was collected from Suvro poultry farm, Sutiakhali, Mymensingh, then the physic-chemical properties of the raw poultry waste were determined using different procedures. Three treatments were considered for production of fly larvae, T1 (3 kg), T2 (6 kg) and T3 (9 kg) in a 15 kg capacity tray with three replications. After production, the proximate composition were also measured of fly larvae. Physico-chemical properties such as, color, odor, texture, temperature, pH, total solids (TSS+TDS), chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, available N, available P, and fiber in raw poultry waste were determined and presented. Proximate composition such as, moisture, total N, total P, available N, total Ca, ash and crude fiber were found in significant amount in the poultry waste. It was found that T3 (1350±68g) produced highest volume of live maggot compared to the other treatments, but T2 (17.50±1.10%) produced highest percentage volume. The proximate compositions of fly larvae were assessed and found 56.60±0.25% protein value in it, suggesting that fly larvae could be the protein replacer in fish feed. The result of this study revealed cheap protein source in aquaculture production, such as production and rearing of stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis, and the findings might be helpful for cost reduction in aquaculture operation. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2022, 8 (4), 216-224

Development of bioactive electrospun scaffolds suitable to support skin fibroblasts and release Lucilia sericata maggot excretion/secretion

Larval therapy has been reported to be beneficial in the treatment of chronic wounds by promoting granulation tissue formation, due to its antimicrobial properties and by degrading necrotic tissue. However, the use of live maggots is problematic for patient acceptance, and thus there is a need to develop materials which can release therapeutic biomolecules derived from maggot secretions to the wound bed. Here we describe the fabrication of a novel bioactive scaffold that can be loaded with Lucilia sericata maggot alimentary excretion/secretion fluids (L. sericata maggot E/S), and which can also provide structural stability for mammalian cell-growth and migration to support wound repair. Electrospun scaffolds were prepared from a poly(caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol)–block copolymer (PCL-b-PEG) blended with PCL with average fibre diameters of ~ 4 μm. The scaffolds were hydrophilic and were able to support viable fibroblasts that were able to infiltrate throughout the extent of the scaffold thickness. L. sericata maggot (E/S) was subsequently adsorbed to the surface and released over 21 days with retention of the protease activity that is responsible for supporting fibroblast migration. The incorporation of L. sericata maggot E/S on the surface of the electrospun fibres of PCL-PEG/PCL fibres is a novel approach with potential for future application to support skin wound healing within a clinical setting.

Succession patterns of sarcosaprophagous insects on pig carcasses in different months in Yangtze River Delta, China

The Yangtze River Delta is one of the most economically developed regions in China, and many cases in the area require an estimation of the postmortem interval each year. This article reports forensic entomological research conducted in this region in different months. A total of 18 domestic pigs were used to study carcass decomposition, species composition, development events, and succession patterns of insects in different months from 2015 to 2021. A total of 53 arthropod species were identified, of which 38, 40, 41, and 25 were observed in April, June, September, and November, respectively. We demonstrated that insects vary in number and species from month to month, and the same species vary in number among the different months. Larvae of Calliphoridae mainly drove the decomposition of carcasses, and the decomposition rate of carcasses varied over the months. Particularly, the decomposition rate was highest in June and September, slower in April, and slowest in November. The predominant species on the carcasses also varied from month to month; Calliphora grahami Aldrich, Chrysomya pinguis (Walker), Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and Hydrotaea spinigera Stein (Diptera: Muscidae) were most predominant in April; Chrysomya megacephala (F.) and Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were most predominant in June and September; and Ca. grahami was most predominant in November. In addition, the seven dominant insect species displayed four developmental events, which could be used to determine minimum postmortem interval, including adult arrival (T1), larvae wandering (T2), pupation (T3), and eclosion (T4) time on the carcasses. Insect succession patterns on carcasses also varied across months. For example, Ch. megacephala appeared later in the composition stages and was not numerically dominant in April but appeared earlier and was dominant in June and September. The results of this study guide the use of insect evidence in different months in the Yangtze River Delta region of China for estimating the postmortem interval of carcasses.

Current Status of Five Warm Season Diptera Species in Estimating the Post-Mortem Interval

Abstract The accurate estimation of the time of death (Post-Mortem Interval, PMI) is of great importance when reconstructing the actual events at a crime scene following the recovery of a body. The reliability of the PMI is vital to validate witness statements and suspect alibis. The PMI estimation based on insects collected from remains relies on two fundamental principles. Firstly, the development of an insect is proportionate to its surrounding environmental condition, and secondly, colonization by insects and other arthropods typically occur according to predictable sequences subjected to seasonality, environment in which the decomposition takes place, and the possible presence of xenobiotics in the food substrate (e.g., drugs). Dipteran species of the family Calliphoridae are the most common species colonizing a corpse and carcass, and a large body of research in entomology is focused on their developmental data. Such data is used forensically to estimate the PMI via three types of calculation: accumulated degree day/hour, table of growth, and isomegalen/isomorphen diagram. Much of this research has been documented during the 20th century, in different countries, using different experimental designs and analyses. This review tabulates development data obtained from 74 manuscripts published between 1933 and 2021 for five cosmopolitan blowfly species associated with the early stages of decomposition during the warmer seasons: Chrysomya megacephala, Ch. rufifacies, Ch. albiceps, Lucilia sericata, and L. cuprina. This review highlights the importance of establishing a standardized protocol to conduct future development studies and maintaining a system for retrieval of this data for future PMI calculations.

DYNAMICS OF DELAYED NICHOLSON’S BLOWFLIES MODELS

The extinction and the persistence of the population of the harmful sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) are discussed in this paper through a stochastic mathematical model. Using appropriate Lyapunov functionals, the extinction of these flies depends on the time to oviposition and the time between generations. The oviposition period must be sufficiently short. Another species of blowfly, called Lucilia sericata, also attacks sheep in many areas. Both blowflies are ectoparasites of warm-blooded vertebrates, particularly domestic sheep. These two blowflies are related to sharing the same mitochondrial DNA sequences, although the two species are distinct. A sufficiently small egg-laying delay then leads to the rapid extinction of both blowfly populations.

High Temperature Limits of Survival and Oviposition of Phormia regina (Meigen) and Lucilia sericata (Meigen).

The temperature dependent development rates of blow flies allow blow flies to be used as biological clocks in forensic death investigations. However, the upper thermal limits of adult survival and oviposition, both required for producing larvae, remains largely unknown. Therefore, in this study we examined the impact of a range of temperatures between 37 °C and 44 °C on the likelihood of survival and egg-laying behavior of two species of medicolegal forensic importance, Lucilia sericata (Meigen) and Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). To quantify the upper temperature limits of survival, adult fly colonies were exposed to 37 °C, 41 °C, 42 °C, 43 °C, and 44 °C for 24 h. Similarly for oviposition trials, adults of both species were exposed to 40 °C, 42 °C, and 43 °C with P. regina oviposition also observed at 41 °C. Trials lasted for 24 h with oviposition substrate replenished at the 12 h mark. A yes/no determination on egg deposition was made, eggs were counted, and a yes/no determination was made on egg hatch. Survival did not differ by species (p = 0.096). Overall, survival decreased with increasing temperatures, with ~100% at 37 °C, ~50% at 41 °C, ~37% at 42 °C, ~15% at 43 °C and 0% at 44 °C. Lucilia sericata laid eggs capable of hatch up to 43 °C, while Phormia regina egg-hatch was observed up to 41 °C. These results indicate a greater thermal tolerance of adult survival than for egg deposition and successful egg hatch, which supports previous experiments indicating blow flies stop laying eggs at sub-lethal temperatures. Furthermore, these data indicate that adult blow flies may find remains at or near time of death but may delay egg deposition until temperatures drop below an acceptable threshold.

Synomones in necrophagous larvae of the blow flies Lucilia sericata and Calliphora vomitoria.

Chemical signals are widespread in insects, but those resulting in interspecific communication (i.e., synomones) remain understudied. Here, we analysed chemicals left on substrates by two species of blow fly larvae, Lucilia sericata (Meigen) and Calliphora vomitoria (Linneaus) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), which can aggregate together on carrion. Using solid-phase microextraction and dynamic headspace analysis, we identified six compounds common to both species: the decanoic, tetradecanoic, pentadecanoic, hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids, and the 2-ethylhexyl salicylate. We then tested the behavioural effects of the decanoic and pentadecanoic acids using binary-choice experiments, along with the (Z)-9-tricosene, a pheromone found in many arthropods. The time spent by a larva and its average crawling speed were measured in two sides of an arena, where only one contained a compound at 0.25 or 25 μg/μl. No effect was observed when testing the decanoic acid. The pentadecanoic acid only reduced the speed of C.vomitoria larvae at 25 μg/μl. Finally, L.sericata larvae spent less time in the side containing the (Z)-9-tricosene at 0.25 μg/μl, whereas C.vomitoria spent more time and crawled faster in this side at 25 μg/μl. Although these results did not directly evidence synomones, they suggest that the (Z)-9-tricosene could regulate larval aggregations on carrion.

Floral Volatile Organic Compounds and a List of Pollinators of Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae).

Simple SummaryFallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae) is an Asian plant growing wild in parts of Europe and North and Central America as an introduced taxon. Although F. baldschuanica is considered a potentially invasive alien plant species, little is known about its pollination biology in climatic conditions in Europe. In this study, we identified the volatile organic compounds emitted from F. baldschuanica flowers, from which some are important insect attractants. We also described the pollinator populations of this plant. We confirm that the chemical composition of floral aroma in F. baldschuanica attracts a large group of potential pollinators, which in addition to the intensive growth of the plant is a feature enabling the species to rapidly expand.Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae) is an Asian plant growing wild in parts of Europe and North and Central America as an introduced taxon, in many countries it is considered a potentially invasive species. This article presents the list of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the flowers of F. baldchuanica and identified by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) analyzes, and a list of flower-visiting and pollinating insects that have been observed in the city center of Wrocław (SW Poland). β-ocimene, heptanal, nonanal, α-pinene, 3-thujene, and limonene, were detected as the floral scent’s most important aroma compounds. F. baldschuanica also produces the aphid alarm pheromones, i.e., β-farnesene and limonene, that repels aphids. Additionally, the pollinators of F. baldschuanica were indicated, based on two years of observations in five sites in the urban area. It was found, that the pollinators of this plant with the highest species stability are: Diptera from families Syrphidae (Chrysotoxum bicinctum, Eristalis pertinax, Eupeodes corollae, Episyrphus balteatus, Eristalis tenax, Syrphus ribesii, Eristalis intricaria), Muscidae (Musca domestica), Sarcophagidae (Sarcophaga spp.), Calliphoridae (Lucilia sericata, Lucilia caesar), Hymenoptera from families Vespidae (Vespula vulgaris), and Apidae (Apis sp., Bombus sp.). The key role of VOCs in adaptation to plant expansion is discussed.

Epidemiological studies on screwworm infestation in sheep flocks in Sulaimani province

This study was conducted in different region in Sulaimani province, Kurdistan Region-Iraq, from August 2021 to April 2022. Isolated randomly, 527 (3.4%) out of 15360 sheep examined had myiasis, identified three genus and sex species of flies in all locations based on morphological characteristics. Chrysomya Bezziana is found in all regions instead of Qardagh and Sharbazher, Lucilia Sericata, Calliphora Vomitoria, and Calliphora vicina were found in all regions. The prevalence rate of myiasis was found in Dukan region at 5.5% (95/1715) and the lowest rate was revealed in the Garmiyan region 2.6% (81/3160). During the seasonal distribution, the highest rate of myiasis was found in Spring (4.8%), followed by (3.8%) in the Summer and (3.4%) in the Autumn, while shows the lowest distribution in Winter (0.8%). In this study, to accurately detect flies, fresh meat was placed in several areas, observed the heavy flies landing spring season.