author(s)
Kamrunnahar Shefa 1, M.M. Hossain 1, M.H. Islam 1, A.T.M.F. Islam 1, A.S.M. Saifullah

abstract
A simple artificial diet was devised for larvae of blowfly, L. cuprica. The artificial diet primarily composed of whole milk powder, bovine blood, chicken eggs and wheat bran. Growth and developmental parameters of blowfly reared on different composition of artificial diets were compared with those reared on Tilapia fish as control. No significant differences were observed in duration and mortality during the larval and pupal stages between larvae reared on artificial diets and those reared on Tilapia fish. Larval and pupal weights were found significantly greater on artificial Diet-A than those reared on other artificial diets and on natural diet. Adults reared on Diet-A were healthy, lived longer and laid significantly more eggs per female than those reared on Tilapia fish and all other artificial diets. Based on the results of the present experiment artificial larval diet composition Diet-A was considered to be the most suitable alternative to natural diet for blowfly rearing.