A series of experiments was conducted to determine survival and reproductive potential of Haematobia irritans (L.) adults that were fed sodium citrated-bovine blood diluted with deionized water, 0.5 M glucose, or 0.15 M sodium chloride (NaCl), or supplemented with adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Reproductive potential, measured by total number of larvae produced per female during 10-d experimental periods, improved when adult H. irritans were fed blood diluted by < 22% with deionized water, NaCl, or glucose, whereas female survival improved when fed blood diluted with deionized water or NaCl (by approximately 25%). Male survival declined whenever blood meals were diluted. Larval production also improved when blood previously stored at -20 degrees C was diluted by approximately 21% with deionized water. Addition of ATP to blood stored at 3 degrees C did not improve larval production or female survival; however, ATP added to blood stored at -20 degrees C increased larval production and female survival. Male survival was not improved by addition of ATP to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. Blood meals were toxic to H. irritans when > or = 5 x 10(-2) M ATP was added to previously refrigerated or frozen blood. A colony of H. irritans was maintained for five generations by feeding adult flies on citrated bovine blood that had been stored at -20 degrees C, supplemented with 5 x 10(-3) M ATP, and diluted with deionized water. Flies were fed through a nylon-reinforced silicone membrane throughout this experimental period. Female survival and larval production were unaffected by the adult fly feeding regimen. Male survival was reduced during the F1, F2, and F3 generations; however, declines did not affect colony maintenance. Percentage pupation increased during the F2 and F3 generations and adult eclosion declined in the F3 and F4 generations, changes attributed to conditions of larvae rearing. Potential for colony population growth was estimated using F4 female survival and resulting larval production, pupation, and adult eclosion. An approximate of 24-fold increase in population size per generation could be realized by collecting all eggs produced by 6-12-d-old females.