SPECIES COMPOSITION AND LARVAL HABITATS OF BLOWFLY (CALLIPHORIDAE) POPULATIONS IN UPLAND AREAS IN ENGLAND AND WALES

ABSTRACT. 1. Bait trapping at upland sites in England and Wales, mainly at 400–700 m altitude, showed that Calliphora vomitoria L. usually outnumbered all other blowflies. C.vicina R.‐D., C.loewi End. and C.alpina Zett were usually present in much lower numbers, with the last‐named occurring at north Pennine sites, but being replaced by C.subalpina Ringd. at a south Pennine (Peak District) and a Welsh site. Catches normally included Cynomya mortuorum L., and Phormia terraenovae R.‐D. was present at about half of the sites, usually in low numbers. 2. Lucilia spp. (predominantly L.caesar L.) were often abundant in catches at 300–430 m, but were absent or rare at 500 m and above, except at certain times. 3. Exposure of mouse carcasses at north Pennine upland sites, and rearing of adults from them, showed that they were colonized in a very indeterminate variable way by C.vicina, C.loewi, C.alpina and Cy.mortuorum, with dominant and subsidiary species varying in identity and numbers within periods as short as 3 weeks. 4. Sampling of large carcasses, i.e. hill sheep casualties in Co. Durham, showed that C.vomitoria predominated as the blowfly colonist, with C.vicina and Cy.mortuorum in much smaller numbers. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved