12 



Predaceous nature. Hobby (193*0 suggested that adults of Ophyra 

 might be predaceous. He noted them apparently feeding on dead insects, 

 but did not see them actually capture prey. 



Seguy (1323) stated that the larvae of Ophyra are predaceous. This 

 was supported by Ke i 1 i n and Tate (1930) who described the larvae of 

 0. Isuaosioma as having buccopharyngeal armature characteristic of 

 larvae that are both saprophagous and carnivorous. Later experiments 

 proved that 0. Isucostoma was predaceous (Peck and Anderson, 1969; 

 Peck, 1969), but not cannibalistic (Anderson and Poorbaugh, 1964b). 



Relationship with Musoa domes tica in poultry manure . Ophyra 

 leuoostoma (Wied.) occurs commonly in poultry houses in many parts of 

 the world (Peck and Anderson, 1970; Legner and 01 ton, 1963; Fuji to 

 et a!., 1966). Ophyra capensis (Wied.) has been reported from poultry 

 houses in Britain (Conway, 1970 and 1973), and 0. aenesoens from 

 poultry houses in Florida (P. G. Koehler, personal communication). 

 Eermetia illuosns (L.) 



Descr ipt ion . Eermetia illucens, the black soldier fly (Sutherland, 

 1978), is a rather large hemi synanth iopic stratiomyid fly that is easily 

 recognized (Greenberg, 1971)- The genus Eermetia can be distinguished 

 from all other North American genera of Strat iomy idae by the length of 

 the style of the flagellum, which is as long as or longer than the 

 remaining segments of the flagellum (James, 1935). 



Linneaus described H. illucens in 1738 (May, 1961). Mai loch (1917), 

 Ricardo (1929), and Borgmeier (1930) described the immatures and pupae. 

 James (1935), Linder (1938) , and !ide and Mileti (1976) described the 

 adults, with Linder's description being the most detailed. May (1961) 

 described both adults and immatures. 



