The phototactic choice of some pairs of colored lights by Musca domestica and Lucilia sp. after a rise in intensity of the non-preferred light in spontaneous responses was studied. In the range of spectrum where no preference in spontaneous responses is noted, the brighter light was chosen after its intensity was increased. It is difficult or even impossible to change the preferences of insects...

A current debate within the cognitive development literature addresses how best to characterize conceptual change. Within one proposal, development primarily consists of a series of radical conceptual shifts or restructurings in which the most current understanding is inexplicable within (incommensurate with) prior conceptual structure. Alternatively, development is discussed as more gradual en...

A chitin synthesis inhibitor, novaluron, was evaluated under laboratory conditions for its larvicidal activity against a field population of the housefly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), by feeding and dipping methods. The concentrations used were 1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg a.i./kg in both methods. The product caused >80% larval mortality at 10 and 20 mg a.i./kg. Of the two methods, feedin...

Neonicotinoids are currently the fastest-growing class of insecticides. In 2004, imidacloprid (a neonicotinoid) was registered for house fly control in the United States. This study was undertaken to examine the relative susceptibility of laboratory strains of house flies to imidacloprid using a feeding assay, to determine the relative susceptibility of field collected house flies before imidac...

Anthrax is a disease of human beings and animals caused by the encapsulated, spore-forming, Bacillus anthracis. The potential role of insects in the spread of B. anthracis to humans and domestic animals during an anthrax outbreak has been confirmed by many studies. Among insect vectors, the house fly Musca domestica is considered a potential agent for disease transmission. In this study, labora...

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii infections are difficult to treat owing to the extremely limited armamentarium. Expectations about antimicrobial peptides' use as new powerful antibacterial agents have been raised on the basis of their unique mechanism of action. Musca domestica cecropin (Mdc), a novel antimicrobial peptide from the larvae of Housefly (Musca domestica), has pot...

Drosophila and Musca both belong to the group of higher dipteran flies and show morphologically a very similar early development. However, these two species are evolutionary separated by at least 100 million years. This presents the opportunity for a comparative analysis of segmentation gene expression across a large evolutionary distance in a very similar embryonic background. We have analysed...

A sex pheromone isolated from the cuticle and feces of the female house fly attracts the male fly; it has been identified as (Z)-9-tricosene. Chemical and biological comparisons of the natural and synthesized compounds show that they are identical.

Certain strains of the fungi Aspergillus flc~rus and A. parasitic-us produce a group of mycotoxic metabolites commonly known as the aflatoxins (Diener and Davis, 1969). The aflatoxins have been studied extensively since they were found first in peanuts, stored grains, and other agricultural products (Golumbic and Kulick, 1969). Aflatoxin B, (AFB,) is a known hepatocarcinogen and hepatotoxic age...