The Effects of the Number of Maggots per Host on Length of Development, Puparial Weight, and Adult Emergence of Eucelatoria sp.1

Abstract

Developmental time for Eucelatoria sp. (Tachinidae) in the host Heliothis virescens decreased from 319 to 262 h as the number of puparia/host increased from 1–17. Larval and pupal developmental periods decreased from 116 to 71 h and 203 to 180 h, respectively, as the hosts became more heavily parasitized. Average puparial weight decreased from 27.2 to 9.2 mg. Viable adults emerged from 90.7% of the puparia in all groups. As the density of maggots/host increased, the percent males increased and the percent females decreased significantly.