A Method of Estimating Population Size of the Sheep Blowfly, Lucilia Cuprina, Using Mark‐recapture Data Corrected for Variation in Catch and Loss of Marked Individuals

A method of estimating population size, using mark‐recapture data from four classic experiments involving the sheep blowfly, is described which corrects for daily variation in catch and loss of marked flies from the sampling area. The method provides maximum and minimum estimates of population size according to the “survival” characteristics of the marked flies. It suggests a ratio of about 3.3 to 1 between the average daily catch (flies/trap/day) and fly density (flies/ha).