Notes on the Mating Habits of the Horn Fly1

The role of semiochemicals in the behavior of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), (Diptera: Muscidae) / by Herbert Thomas Bolton.

“…of 30 sec to 5 min for pairs which copulated on the host.The present experiments also indicated that some females may remate;Harris et al (1968) had reported that the female horn fly was monogamous.Non-receptivity of the female resembled that described for other muscid females; however, the female horn fly's self-positioning in locations in the observation cage which appeared to reduce her contact with males had not been noted for other muscid females.As in house fly courtship, males encountering an unreceptive female may leave her or may move forward on her dorsum and repeat earlier courtship elements.…”

“…(1968) suggested that most horn fly matings occurred between 2-4 days after emergence under laboratory conditions; however, when flies were reared on a host, most flies had mated by the end of the second day. The data of Harris et al . (1968) also suggested that the female horn fly was monogamous.…”

“…as described by Greer (1975). Bioassays were conducted when virgin, laboratory horn flies were 3-8 days old since the data of Harris et al (1968), Gale (1977), and…”

“…In the laboratory, females begin to mate as much as 24 hours later than when held on the host (Harris et al, 1968). The female horn fly appears to be monogamous, but males can inseminate an average of 4.6 females (Harris et al, 1968 Oviposition .…”

“…In the laboratory, females begin to mate as much as 24 hours later than when held on the host (Harris et al, 1968). The female horn fly appears to be monogamous, but males can inseminate an average of 4.6 females (Harris et al, 1968 Oviposition . Although the specific stimuli which induce egg laying are not known (McClintock and Depner, 1954), adult female horn flies leave their host to oviposit in freshly passed cattle droppings or on the grass or soil beneath the dropping (McClintock and Depner, 1954;Bruce, 1942 andHarris, 1962;Sanders and Dobson, 1969).…”