Evaluation of different blood‑feeding frequencies on Glossina palpalis gambiensis performance in a mass‑rearing insectary

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Résumé

Background: The main challenge to the successful mass-rearing of the tsetse fly in insectaries, especially in Africa, is
a sustainable supply of high-quality blood meals. As such, the collection of high-quality blood in large quantities can
be an important constraint to production. One possible strategy to lessen the impact of this constraint is to modify
the blood-feeding frequency. In the study reported here, we evaluated the effect of three blood-feeding frequencies
on the colony performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis, a riverine tsetse fly species.
Methods: The effect of three, four and six blood-feedings per week on female survival and productivity were evaluated
over a 30-day period. Progeny emergence rate and flight ability were also evaluated.
Results: Female survival was significantly higher in flies fed four times per week (87%) than in those fed three (72%)
and six times per week (78%; P < 0.05). Productivity was similar between flies fed four and six times per week (457 and
454 larvae) but significantly reduced in flies fed three times per week (280 larvae produced; P < 0.05). Both emergence
rate and flight ability rate were also similar between flies fed four times per week (97 and 94%, respectively) and six
times per week (96 and 97%, respectively), but they were significantly reduced when flies were fed three times per
week (89 and 84%, respectively; P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Blood-feeding frequency could be reduced from six times per week to four times per week without
affecting mass-rearing production and progeny quality. The implications of these results on tsetse mass-rearing production
are discussed.

Mots-clés

Tsetse fly, Productivity, Survival, Emergence rate, Flight ability