Effect of the amount of food given to the larvae on the life cycle of Parasarcophaga (Liopygia) ruficornis (F.).

The effect of food limitation upon developmental time, survival, weight, longevity and fecundity of adults was studied for Parasarcophaga (Liopygia) ruficornis (F.) at 25 degrees C, 60-65% RH and a 15:9 (L:D)h photoperiod, and offered food in 10 different weights (10-100 gm/100 larvae). The deveopmental time of larvae, and pupae decreased with the decrease in the amount of larval food for both sexes. Survive of the larval stage was not affected by decreasing the amount of larval food, while the pupal survival was significantly increased. The correlation between pupal weight and survival was significantly increased with the decreasing pupal weights. Pupal and adult weights decreased with the decrease in the amount of minced beef given as larval food for both sexes. There is no significant correlation between flies weights and longevity for both sexes. Females lived longer than males at three different weights. Fecundity of the medium-sized adult showed a higher average in number of larvae per female than the large or small-sized ones.