A preliminary study on the species composition & seasonal prevalence of the fly population in Tsingtao.

A bait-trap survey of the species composition and seasonal distribution of the fly populationwas conducted in the urban district of Tsingtao during the year 1956. Two types of traps, namelyPatton's trap and tent trap, using rotten fruits and raw fish as bait, Were used throughout the surveywith the aim of attracting a greater variety or species. Throughout the yearlong period, at least 32 species were captured, namely, Calliphora callipho-roides, Calliphora grahami, Lucilia ampullacea, Lucilia illustris, Lucilia sericata, Chrysomyia mega-cephala, Protophormia terrae-novae; Ravina striata, Sarcophaga melanura Sarcophaga peregrina,Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, Sarcophaga orchidea, Sarcophaga albiceps, Sarcophaga misera, Sarco-phaga similis, Sarcophaga portschinskyi, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, Sarcophaga polystylata, Stomoxyscalcitrans, Musca domestica vicina, Musca sorbens, Musca hervei, Musca pattoni, Musca conducens,Orthellia caerulea, Graphomyia rufitibia, Fannia canicularis, Muscina stabulans, Muscina angusti-frons, Ophyra leucostoma, Ophyra chalcogaster and Anthomyia illocata. Tabulation of the results showed that flies could be collected from March to December withthe peak in September. In April, July, August and September, flies were collected in largernumbers than in any other onth. The fluctuations in number due to season were presented infigures. It has been observed that the Lucilia species were the most abundant species encountered, com-prising 38.85% of the total, followed by Calliphora, 14.5%; Chrysomyia, 12.88%; Sarcophaga, 10.39%;Fannia, 9.62%; Muscina, 7.58%; Ophyra, 4.33%; Musca, 1.35%; Stomoxys, 0.16%.