Abstract

Non-biting fly surveys in urban, rural, and forested areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, using rotten meat, fish fruits and human faeces, for collection yielded 4290 and 2474 flies from 9 families in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Synanthropic Indices (SI) of 15 species were calculated for the wet season, of which 10 species were positively synanthropic, and five negatively synanthropic to human settlements. In the dry season, the SI of all the 9 species computed were positive for human settlements. Significant bait preference was shown only in the wet season by Chrysomya albiceps(F=10.2+++; p < 0.05) for rotten meat, and Poecilosomella angulata (F+9.6+++; p < 0.05), for human faeces. C. albiceps formerly rare in the area was the most abundant species collected at 38.8% and 44.8% specimens in wet and dry seasons, respectively.

Key words: Synanthropy, eusynanthropic, hemisynanthropic, asynanthropic, food sources.