Stable Flies, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae), Improve Offspring Fitness by Avoiding Oviposition Substrates With Competitors or Parasites

Abstract

Oviposition site selection by gravid female insects is an important determinant in species distribution, abundance, and population dynamics. Females may assess the suitability of a potential oviposition substrate by using cues from conspecific or heterospecific individuals already present. Here, we assessed whether the presence of conspecific or heterospecific larvae and parasites influenced oviposition decisions by the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Linneaus). Using dual and multiple-choice oviposition bioassays, we found that gravid female S. calcitrans avoided substrates with conspecific larvae, the larvae of house flies, Musca domestica (Linneaus), and the mite Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli). Avoidance of conspecific and heterospecific larvae persisted in the dark, suggesting that this behavior is mediated by chemical rather than visual cues. When we reared S. calcitrans in the presence of conspecific larvae and the larvae of house flies at different densities we found that this negatively affected emergence time, larval weight, larval survival, pupal weight, pupal survival, and adult weight. We also demonstrated that individuals of S. calcitrans developed in the presence of mites exhibited low egg hatchability, and poor larval and adult survival.Our study provides additional support for the "preference-performance" hypothesis in S. calcitrans, with gravid females preferring to lay eggs on a substrate that will enhance offspring fitness. We recommend that the chemical cues involved in avoidance by gravid female S. calcitrans of substrates with conspecific and heterospecific larvae should be elucidated. This could lead to the discovery of repellent chemicals important for S. calcitrans management.

Sibling species of the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae display divergent preferences for aquatic breeding sites in southern Nigeria

“…Still on mosquito interactions, Anopheles and culicine larvae had inverse associations in southern Nigeria. The inverse association observed between Anopheles and culicine larvae corroborates the principle that gravid dipterans typically avoid breeding places already exploited by conspecific and heterospecific females [ 77 ]. This behaviour has been reported in An.…”

The COMBAT project: controlling and progressively minimizing the burden of vector-borne animal trypanosomosis in Africa

“…In Stomoxys, oviposition is mediated by compounds that induce oviposition in specific sites or substrates (Baleba et al, 2020) and mating behaviour is mediated by female attractants that lure male insects. Some compounds have been tested with promising results in the field to boost trap efficiency and others are still to be identified (Baleba et al, 2019). COMBAT will optimize the use of these semiochemicals for the control of stable flies, including a suitable formulation for gradual release.…”

Abiotic characteristics and organic constituents of oviposition sites as oviposition attractants and stimulants for gravid female stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans

“…Similarly, mosquitoes tend to oviposit in habitats with conspecific larvae as indicators of habitat suitability (Blaustein & Kotler, 1993; Allan & Kline 1998; Mwingira et al., 2019) but avoid oviposition in sites occupied by predators or resource competitors (Kiflawi et al., 2003; Blaustein et al., 2004). Gravid female sand flies Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli are strongly attracted to rearing medium containing active larval stages (Marayati et al., 2015), whereas gravid female stable flies avoid ovipositing in substrates occupied by conspecific larvae, house fly larvae, and the mite Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli) (Baleba et al., 2020). The presence of mites reduced the hatchability of fly eggs and survival of fly larvae, and the presence of con‐ and heterospecific resource competitors – density dependently – reduced the body weight of larvae, pupae, and adults, and the percent emergence of adults (Baleba et al., 2020).…”

“…Gravid female sand flies Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli are strongly attracted to rearing medium containing active larval stages (Marayati et al., 2015), whereas gravid female stable flies avoid ovipositing in substrates occupied by conspecific larvae, house fly larvae, and the mite Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli) (Baleba et al., 2020). The presence of mites reduced the hatchability of fly eggs and survival of fly larvae, and the presence of con‐ and heterospecific resource competitors – density dependently – reduced the body weight of larvae, pupae, and adults, and the percent emergence of adults (Baleba et al., 2020). The feeding experience of insect larvae can affect their oviposition choice as adults (e.g., Shikano & Ismans, 2009), but adult stable flies do not necessarily oviposit in the same type of substrate in which they developed as larvae (Baleba et al., 2019b).…”