An Improved Chemically Defined Diet for Lucilia Sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Larvae of the blowfly Lucilia sericata were shown to require more sodium in their diet than do larvae of Pseudosarcophaga affinis. A chemically denned diet, originally designed for P. affinis, and modified by the addition of agar to suit L. sericata, was further improved by substituting 0.04 g/l. of NaOH and an equivalent amount of KOH.