The influence of temperature and moisture on the survival and duration of the egg stage of the Australian sheep blowfly,<i>Lucilia cuprina</i>(Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract

Abstract A relationship between mean development rate, temperature and saturation deficit was derived for the egg stage of Lucilia cuprina (Wied.). Development rate increased linearly with temperature between 10 and 40 ° C at constant saturation deficits. Increasing saturation deficits between 0 and 10 mm Hg caused non-linear decreases in development rate. At zero saturation deficit, temperatures between 15 and 40 ° C had no effect on egg survival. Survival in the egg stage declined rapidly with increasing saturation deficits, primarily through the inability of the larvae to rupture the chorion of the egg. The aggregation of single eggs into compact egg-masses during oviposition appeared to afford no additional protection against desiccation. The ecological implications of the results are discussed.