The Effect of Age and Diapause on the Long-Term Intake of Protein and Sugar by Two Species of Blowflies,phormia Regina(meig.) Andprotophormia Terraenov Ae(r. D.)

The long-term intake of protein and sugar by nondiapausing and diapausing male and female P. regina and P. terraenovae was determined using a two-choice apparatus with statistical analysis of the results (both µl/day and µl/mg per day). 2. Results of studies using nondiapausing P. regina and P. terraenovae were found to be similar. Intake was significantly influenced by the age of the fly, aged flies tending to feed less. Males and females exhibited similar trends in food intake as they aged. Sugar intake by male and female blowflies was significantly greater than protein intake. Female flies consumed significantly more protein than males. However, on a µl/mg basis there was no significant difference in either sugar intake or total intake of protein plus sugar between male and female flies. 3. Diapausing flies were found to feed on both sugar and protein, although sugar intake was significantly greater than protein intake. Protein intake by both species of diapausing flies did not differ significantly from that of nondiapausing flies. However, diapausing specimens of P. regina had a significantly greater sugar intake than the nondiapausing P. regina population; while diapausing specimens of P. terraenovae fed significantly less on sugar than the nondiapausing P. terraenovae. These results were the same when considered on a µl/mg basis. In the P. terraenovae population, intake was found to be more influenced by age among diapausing flies compared to nondiapausing flies. 4. An analysis of covariance showed that the effect of fly weight on intake was not significant.