472 



JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



[Vol. 8 



When caged without food the longevity of the adults is rather short, 

 ranging from two to eight days. Supplied with suitable food and 

 meat upon which to deposit they have been observed to live as long 

 as ninety-three days in winter and thirty-one days in April and May. 

 The longevity decreases as hot weather approaches. 



Seasonal History of Lucilia sericata 



This species is to be seen through the year in the Southern States 

 'except in the coldest periods in winter. It is not so plentiful, however, 

 in late fall, early spring and in warm periods in mid winter as is P. 

 regina. Reproduction does not often take place in winter even in the 

 extreme South. The adults are present throughout the summer 

 though then often diminish in numbers during excessively hot dry 

 periods. In Texas the winter is passed in the larval and pupal stages 

 in the soil or beneath carcasses. It is almost certain that in the North, 

 also, the same condition prevails. Attempts to get the adults to pass 

 the winter in cages have been unsuccessful. Some information re- 

 garding wintering is given under the discussion of the seasonal history 

 of P. regina. 



Life-History and Habits of Lucilia sericata 



This species has a wide distribution in North America. It is more 

 closely associated with human habitations than P. regina or C. 

 macellaria, being very common in back yards and in alleys even in 

 large cities. It is seldom seen on the range and in pastures far from 

 houses. Garbage, including all sorts of kitchen refuse, is attractive, 

 and damaged fruit is a favorite food for the adults. The flies are not 

 infrequently seen in dwellings and often collect in great numbers under 

 ornamental vines and beneath the leaves of vegetables, especially 

 cucumbers and melons. They visit flowers to some extent and are 

 strongly attracted to honey-dew on plants. 



We have not succeeded in securing depositions or rearing larvae on 

 other substances than animal matter. Eggs are freely deposited on 

 raw or cooked meats in various stages of decay and on carcasses of all 

 kinds. As has been stated, this is the species responsible for maggoty 

 wool in Great Britain and doubtless is the principal cause of cases of 

 blown sheep which occur in mid-summer in this country. Mr. H. F. 

 Hudson^ has recently reported an instance in Ontario in which a calf 

 suffering from white scours became infested around the vent by this 

 green-bottle fly. Two cases have been observed by the senior author 

 in which tame rabbits, having injuries on their backs from fighting, 

 became infested and were ultimately killed by maggots of this species. 



1 Hudson, H. F., 1914. Canadian Entomologist 46, p. 416, December. 



