Age Structure and Reproductive History of Some Overwintering Face Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Populations in North America

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Abstract
Overwintering natural populations of face flies, Musca autumnalis DeGeer, were sampled periodically in northern California during 1977–1978, in central Iowa during 1979–1984, and in Minnesota during 1982–1984. Survival in winter and spring was independent of fly size. The fecundity of overwintered survivors in spring was as predicted by the size of autumn flies, and the relic fly populations demonstrated constant fecundities as they aged. The incidence of first ovipositions by overwintered flies and the appearance of their subsequent adult progeny in Iowa, California, and Minnesota were compared and related to Julian date and thermal-unit summations. Thermal units summed from 1 January predicted the average date of midpoint first oviposition to 0.1 day.