Geographic and temporal variation in life history parameters of the housefly, musca domestica L.

Populations of second-generation offspring of field- caught houseflies from twelve localities across the continental United States were studied and mortality and fecundity schedules were determined in relation to both environmentally and genetically determined size differences. Individual females were observed and data on batch size, age at first batch, number of batches, and age at death were taken. Northern strains were larger than southern ones, Parelleling results reported in an earlier study. In addition, differences beyond those caused by differences in size were found in all fecundity and mortality statistics computed, indicating differences in life-history adaptation in this cosmopolitan species.