INSTITUTE, PUSA, FOR 1916-17 05 



A species of Drosophila was bred out from very old flesh 

 which had lost all smell of decomposition. The life-cycle 

 was found to be nine days from egg to adult. The pupae 

 remained firmly fixed at the place of their breeding. 



Besides the flies mentioned above, several species of 

 Coleoptera are commonly attracted to putrefying flesh. 



Necrobia rufipes (Cleridae), a small metallic dark green 

 beetle, not infrequently visits dead carcases and old meat. 

 They have been found to exhibit a preference for eating 

 dead maggots and animal matter. They breed freely in 

 old meat. The larvae are soft, elongated and slightly dilated 

 posteriorly, the head portion is a little narrower, flat, and 

 brownish. They were observed to eat dead or damaged 

 flesh fly pupae in confinement. 



Four species of Histeridae were found to be readily 

 attracted to putrefying meat. The adult insects were ob- 

 served to prey upon flesh fly maggots of any species but pre- 

 ferably of big species. None of these beetles have as yet 

 been found breeding in fermenting meat or dead animal 

 matter. 



Dermestes vulpinus (Dermestidae) visits decomposing 

 meat or dead animals, perhaps with the object of breeding. 

 A single beetle was seen laying a dozen eggs. The larvae 

 are elongated with leathery plates on the dorsum of ihe 

 body which is clothed with long hairs. A single larva 

 moults more than five times. The adult beetles counterfeit 

 death on being alarmed. The larvae feed upon animal 

 matter but were not found to prey upon any living flesh fly 

 maggots. 



Adult flies of Musca nebulo, M. angustifrons, M. nigri- 

 thorax, Ulidia cenea and of a small species of Borboridae 

 were trapped whilst attempting to feed on exposed meat, 

 but none of them were ever seen to breed in such material. 



Species of Calliphorinw and Sarcophaga breeding in 

 flesh are subject to the attack of three kinds of parasites 

 two of which belong to the family Chalcididae. Of these 

 one species with reddish hind legs attacks flesh fly maggots 



