Growth of blow-fly larvae on blood and serum

IN the previous paper of this series [Hobson, 1933] it was shown that aseptic blow-fly larvae cannot develop on sterile blood or serum owing to lack of vitamin " B ".The present paper deals with the growth of larvae on these foods when bacteria are present.The species of blow-fly used was Lucilia sericata, Meig., the Sheep Maggot Fly.The nutrition of these larvae on blood and serum has a direct bearing on the sheep maggot problem.Mackerras and Freney [1933] examined infested sheep in Australia and found that the maggots feed at first on a serous exudate and later on blood; this has been confirmed by field observa- tions made by the present author in North Wales'.