We are rearing a colony of B zonata for research in lab from field collection. adults have emerged but there is no egg laying. we are feeding with the diet recommended in literature.
any reason for not laying eggs?
I think you have to change rearing conditions: Temperature, Photo period, food. as conditions are similar to the natural condition as the rearing program will success.
you did not specify much so here are a few reasons:
a) time - the sexual maturation of B zonata takes about 21 days from adult emergence. did you have enough patient to wait?
b) egging apparatus - do you give them fruit to lay eggs in (like mango) OR are you using an artificial egging device?
c) health - (check if you have lots of dead flies in your cages) make sure they are not overcrowded and that they have lots of fresh water supply (cups with water soaked cotton-wool that you daily check and add water when needed)
Hi Riaz, have you observed the mating behaviour of the flies? Just to be sure that copulation have occurred, to ensure successful sperm transfer. Regards, Alvin
Hi Riaz and Alvin, we rear the fly for several years now and spotted only a few copulation couples. All occurred just before or during darkness. But there is another way to check reproductive - the egg hatch QC test - we have around 70% egg hatch and the colony is reproductive.
It is suggested to you based on earlier findings of Entomologists that egg-laying can not occur until you don't provide the protein-rich diet. Females require protein for their gonad development from just after the emergence of adult flies and wait till the completion of the pre-oviposition period that is about 14-16 days with B. zonata (Peach fruit fly). offer them preferred host like guava or mango, water-soaked cotton, and source of sugar as glucose in rearing cage to feed the adult fruit flies and maintain hygienic condition.
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