Differential attraction of calyptrate flies (Diptera) to faeces

Abstract

Adult flies may visit faeces to lay eggs or larvae, to feed, or to drink, in dry weather. Within the group of calyptrate flies without meral bristles (Muscoidea), species that breed in faeces show a significantly greater tendency to visit it than those species that breed in other media. Oestroidea (with meral bristles) do not show this tendency, ecological confirmation of the anatomical fact that calyptrates fall into at least two distinct natural groupings. Visiting faeces to drink seems unimportant for muscoids. The dung of semi-wild browsing cattle is visited by few calyptrate fly species and is only attractive for a short time.

Keywords :

• Cowpats
• human faeces
• oestroids
• muscoids
• meral bristles