A promising method for rearing Glossina austeni (newst.) on a small scale, based on the use of rabbits' ears for feeding

Abstract

By manually applying cages to the ears of ordinary rabbits and coaxing the tsetse flies to feed, we have for the first time approached the full reproductive potential of G. austeni and reared an insect which does not seem to be physically inferior to that found in nature. The tedious coaxing process has been overcome by strapping cages to the ears of lop-eared rabbits, but at a small loss in pupal weight. Our preliminary findings suggest that a method has been found which should enable a research worker to keep his own small colony of tsetse and achieve an excellent survival rate for trypanosome transmission experiments.