Measurement of the Meal Size of the Horn Fly, Haematobia irritans (L.)(Diptera : Muscidae), by the Use of Amaranth

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Abstract
To determine the meal size of the horn fly, a new method using amaranth was investigated in comparison with the gravimetric method. Amaranth in [calf''s] blood had no effect on the mortality and meal size of the horn fly. The amount of amaranth in the excreta of the flies fed with blood-amaranth mixture was about 96% of that of ingested amaranth estimated from the gravimetric method. A high correlation existed between them. The amaranth method can be used for the determination of the meal size of the horn fly. The total amount of amaranth recovered from the excreta and midgut was 105% of that estimated by the gravimetric method; the meal size of the horn fly estimated by the amaranth method was slightly more than that estimated by the gravimetric method.