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Blowfly Experimentation

Having found a suitable environment, the adult blow fly lays up to 180 eggs and then depart, taking no further interest in them. Depending upon temperature (the optimum hatching temperature is 35oC1), humidity and species, the eggs take between one to two days to hatch. Upon hatching, the first-instar larva is small in size and whitish in colour. This is a vulnerable stage in its life cycle, prone to dehydration if conditions are a little dry, and easily drowned if the conditions are too humid. At this stage of its life cycle, it will move to the part of the carcass where conditions are most suitable for successful habitation. The first instar will last approximately one day and the second for a similar period also before moulting tot he third instar. This third instar feeds voraciously, increasing its mass and volume by up to seven times over three or four days.

The third instar is made up of 12 segments, whitish yellow in colour. On the second and twelfth segments are two ...

Posted by: Joel Chibota

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