Rate of population increase of poultry shaft louse, Menopon gallinae in vivo condition.

Attempts were made to determine the rate of expansion of Menopon gallinae by releasing 10 healthier looking adult lice on each of the twelve similar aged fowls and delousing two fowls fortnightly (up to 90 days). The experiments were performed in the months of summer as well as in the months of winter. It was found that an initial inoculum of 10 M. gallinae could produce 636 lice in summers (doubling time 15 days). During winter months 323 M. gallinae were recovered from an inoculum of 10 lice (doubling time 18 days). Thus, summer months appear to be more favorable for the population build up of lice.