Abstract:
One of the challenges to maintain tsetse fly (Diptera: Glossinidae) colonies is the sustainable
supply of high quality blood meals. The effect of using anticoagulants during collection
of the blood, the addition of phagostimulants to the blood meals as well as using mixtures of
bovine and porcine blood in different proportions for feeding on colony productivity was
assessed. Defibrinated bovine blood was found to be suitable to maintain both the Glossina
brevipalpis Newstead and Glossina austeni Newstead colonies. Blood collected with the
anticoagulants sodium citrate, citric sodium combination, citrate phosphate dextrose adenine
and citric acid did not affect colony performance of both species. Defibrinated bovine
and porcine blood in a 1:1 ratio or the feeding of either bovine or porcine blood on alternating
days improved pupae production of G. austeni and can be used to enhance colony growth.
Bovine blood is appropriate to maintain G. brevipalpis colonies, however, feeding either
bovine or porcine blood on alternating days did improve productivity. Adding the phagostimulants
inosine tri-phosphate, cytosine mono-phosphate and guanosine mono-phosphate
to the blood at a concentration of 10−4 M improved pupae production of the G. brevipalpis
colony. The addition of adenosine tri-phosphate and inosine tri-phosphate improved the performance
of the G. austeni colony. Decisions on the most suitable rearing diet and feeding
protocols will not only depend on the biological requirements of the species but also on the
continuous supply of a suitable blood source that can be collected and processed in a costeffective
way.
