A preliminary study on the species composition and seasonal prevalence of the fly population in Tsinan.

An investigation of the species composition and seasonal distribution was carried outin the urban and suburb districts of Tsinan from May 1960, to April 1961. Tent traps,using raw fish as bait, was used as the method of this study. Throughout the period above stated, 42 species were captured, Namely, Anthomyiaillocata, Hylemyia cana, H. vetula, H. cinerella, Fannia canicularis, F. prisca, Ophyrachalcogaster, O. obscurifrons, Muscina stabulans, Graphomyia rufitibia, Orthellia caerulea,Musca domestica vicina, M. conducens, M. hervei, M. sorbens, M. tempestiva, Stomoxyscalcitrans, St. indica Lyperosia exigua, Hydrotaea occulta, Calliphora calliphoroides, C.grahami, C. vi?ina, Lucilia bufonivora, L. caesar, L. cuprina, L. sericata, Chrysomyia mega-cephala, Ch. pinguis Phormia regina, Ravina striata, Sarcophaga albiceps, S. crassipalpis,S. haemorrhoidalis S. jaroschevskyi, S. knabi, S. melanura, S. misera, S. orchidea, S. pere-grina, S. similis and S. tuberosa. It was shown that flies could be caught from May to November with the peak inAugust in the year 1960 and from March to April in 1961. The peaks of the speciesoften encountered were as follows: Fannia prisca, Muscina stabulans and Calliphoragrahami--May; Chrysomyia megacephala and Lucilia sericata--August; Musca sorbens--two peaks, August and October; and Musca domestica vicina--October. It has been observed that Chrysomyia megacephala was the most abundant speciesencountered, comprising 18.06% of the total, followed by Lucilia sericata, 16.64%;Musca domestica vicina, 15.49%; Musca sorbens, 15.06%; Sarcophaga melanura, 6.72%;Ravinia striata, 5.80%; Calliphora grahami, 3.95%; Fannia prisca 3.43%; Muscinastabulans, 2.19%; and others, 12.66%. On the other hand the most abundant species caught at different trap stations werequite different. These were: (1) At the lavatory of the north suburb--Chrysomyia mega-cephala (30.94%). (2) At the stable of the north suburb--Musca domestica vicina(30.94%) and M. sorbens (30.06%) and (3) At the dining room and the condimentsshop of the urban district and the waste heap of the south suburb--Lucilia sericata(37.54%; 27.11% and 19.36% individually).