Laboratory breeding of two Phortica species (Diptera: Drosophilidae), vectors of the zoonotic eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda.

This standardized breeding protocol, based on controlled climatic parameters and fly densities, together with the introduction of an enriched chestnut-based feeding medium, allowed to investigate aspects of life history traits of Phortica spp. involved in the transmission of T. callipaeda. Obtaining F3 generation of these species for the first time paved the road for the establishment of stable colonies, an essential requirement for future studies on these vectors in controlled conditions.