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Minimum Base Temperature

Definition

The temperature below which blow fly larval development effectively stops. This threshold varies by species: Lucilia sericata is typically around 9 degrees C, while Calliphora vicina, a common cold-adapted UK species, has an estimated minimum of approximately 1-2 degrees C. Only temperatures above the species-specific threshold contribute to accumulated degree calculations.

Related terms

Development Table
A species-specific reference dataset giving the accumulated temperature (degree hours or degree days above a threshold) required to complete each life-stage transition....
Eclosion
The emergence of the adult fly from the puparium. In rearing, the date of eclosion is recorded as the end point of...
Isomorphen Diagram
A contour plot of the same axes where each contour connects all (temperature, age) combinations that produce the same morphological developmental stage...
Pupariation
The process by which the third-instar larva contracts and hardens its own cuticle to form the puparial case (puparium) that encloses the...
Rearing Medium
The food source placed in the rearing container to support larval development. Raw beef liver is the standard; it provides protein, moisture,...

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