Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala - 147 002, Punjab, India.
River sand, saw dust, garden soil and cotton cloth (all in dry and wet condition) were used as pupation media to observe their effect on the pupation behavior of Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies. 500 cc of a medium was put in each a of pair of jars, while another jar was kept without a medium. To make the medium wet 50ml of ordinary water was added to each of a set of four jars having different media and shaken vigorously to ensure uniformity of the medium. Post feeding maggots of Chrysomya megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies obtained from the laboratory colonies were put in each jar which were covered with muslin cloth kept firmly in position by a rubber band. Observations were made regularly for pupation behaviour and emergence of adults. The emerged flies were taken out, counted and discarded. The process continued till there were no more emergences. The type of the medium has its effect on the eclosion success; saw dust being the most and the cotton cloth the least favourable medium. These differences may arise as a result of differences in the texture consistency or moisture content of the media.
