NUTRITIONAL STUDIES WITHPSEUDOSARCOPHAGA AFFINIS(FALL.), A DIPTEROUS PARASITE OF THE SPRUCE BUD-WORM,CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA(CLEM.): I. A CHEMICALLY DEFINED MEDIUM AND ASEPTIC-CULTURE TECHNIQUE

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Abstract
A chemically defined medium consisting mainly of amino acids, dextrose, salts, and vitamins, and an aseptic technique are described for nutritional studies with larvae of Pseudosarcophaga affinis (Fall.), a dipterous parasite of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) In feeding tests with 542 larvae, microorganisms contaminated only 3.9% of the initial number. Within an assay period of 20 days, 83.9% of the aseptic larvae reared on the medium reached the third instar. After removal from the rearing medium, 59.9% of the aseptic larvae pupated and a number of adults emerged. The time required for 50% of the aseptic larvae to develop to the third instar was 9.2 days. This is the first medium composed of chemically pure substances, with the exception of agar, to be successfully used for rearing a parasitic, entomophagous insect. Since the intervention of microorganisms can be avoided, a basis is provided for further nutritional studies with P. affinis.

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