Male and Female Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Trapped at Two Different Baits in the Field

The numbers of male and female Phormia regina (Meigen) attracted to cat feces in the field were similar, but differed for dead rats. Mated, gravid females were attracted to carcasses as oviposition sites, whereas the previtellogenic females visiting cat feces were unmated. Males seldom visited carcasses. As a result, we suggest in this study that P. regina utilized cat feces as an aggregation site for mating. Females visiting the cat feces had fed on the feces. Whether both sexes can utilize cat feces as the exogenous protein required for sexual maturation must be examined. This study also demonstrated that mating in the field usually does not occur during the previtellogenic stage.