Abstract: This study aims to determine the flight ability of adults of Exorista civilis Rondani and its responses to different conditionsy. The flight ability of female and male E. civilis at different ages as well as at different generation was measured using a flight mill. The results showed that flight ability of E. civilis varied according to age. E. civilis showed only a weak flight ability on the first day after emergence, and the ability gradually increased and reached the greatest on the 5th day (for female adults, accumulated maximum flight distance was 1.47 km, total maximum flight duration was 1.32 h within 8 successive hours, and the average speed was 1.83 m/s; for male adults, accumulated maximum flight distance was 0.55 km, total maximum flight duration was 0.27 h within 8 successive hours, and the average speed was 1.52 m/s). The difference in flight ability between female and male was not significant (P>0.05). Between generations, the flight ability of E. civilis declined gradually with the increase of generation. Flight ability differed between individuals, the maximum total flight duration reaching 2.24 h within 8 successive hours, the largest accumulative flight distance reaching 3.62 km and the maximum speed being 9.34 m/s. The results suggest that 5 d-old E. civilis is active in searching for the host and that the flight ability of E. civilis may decline with the increase of the indoor propagation generation.

Key words: Exorista civilis, flight ability, day age, generation, alternate host