Some observations on the larva of Auchmeromyia luteola, F.

Extract

The following are a few observations made on the larvae of Auchmeromyia luteola taken in Uganda. The larvae were kept in glass-topped cardboard boxes containing earth. Several attempts were made to feed them on the less hairy parts of puppies but in no case did they make any attempt to draw blood. I then placed some on my own hand. In only one instance was this successful, the details of the feeding being described below.

Meat, crushed ticks, bananas were placed in the boxes at various times, but so far as could be gathered, they were left untouched. By dampening the earth with water every few days larvae were kept alive up to a month. They would probably have lived longer were it not that the exigencies of constant travelling caused their neglect. The small immature larvae however did not seem to grow, those which pupated having been mature, or almost so, at the time of capture. The longest period between capture and pupation was 12 days, and this larva was full of blood when taken and two days later its alimentary tract was still red with blood.