Rearing of Texas Tabanidae (Diptera). III. Trapping, survivorship, and limited rearing of Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macquart)

From 29 March to 12 May 1978, 12 713 females of Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macq.) were collected alive on the Navasota River floodplain in south-central Texas and maintained in the laboratory for rearing purposes. Statistical analysis of the collection data showed that the productivity of modified Manitoba traps was related to trap site. Females survived well in ventilated collection containers provided with sugar water. Samples of caged females collected early in the season lived for 2 weeks, but survivorship dropped sharply in samples taken later in the season. Females refused to feed on cows and on beef blood (with ATP) through membranes, but individuals that were partially engorged when collected oviposited in the laboratory. Four lots of larvae, at densities of 4, 12, 16 and 19 examples/pan of peat and sand, were reared together at 27 deg C until they matured in about 2 months, at which time they entered diapause. There was no evidence of cannibalism. Although adult survivorship was encouraging, the short duration of wing life suggested that this species adapts very poorly to cage confinement and would, therefore, be difficult to rear.