| The stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), are blood-sucking insects that represent a serious problem not only because of their hematophagy and transmission of pathogens, but also because of their considerable economic impact in animal production. No colony of these insects exists in Argentina. The objectives of this work were to establish the first Stomoxys calcitrans colony in this country, and to standardize and report the duration of each stage under controlled laboratory conditions. The adult flies were successfully reared in a growth chamber (28 ± 1 ºC and 47 ± 1 %RH, under a 14 h light: 10 h dark photoperiod); whereas the immature stages were kept at 25 ± 2 ºC and natural light. The cycle from eggs to adult emergence lasted... |
