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A horizontally polarizing liquid trap enhances the tabanid-capturing efficiency of the classic canopy trap

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2013

Á. Egri ,
M. Blahó ,
D. Száz ,
G. Kriska ,
J. Majer ,
T. Herczeg ,
M. Gyurkovszky ,
R. Farkas  and
G. Horváth
Á. Egri
Affiliation:
Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary
M. Blahó
Affiliation:
Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary
D. Száz
Affiliation:
Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary
G. Kriska
Affiliation:
Group for Methodology in Biology Teaching, Biological Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary Danube Research Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Alkotmány út 2-4., H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
J. Majer
Affiliation:
Department of General and Applied Ecology, Institute of Environment Studies, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 6, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary
T. Herczeg
Affiliation:
Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary
M. Gyurkovszky
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1078 Budapest, István utca 2, Hungary
R. Farkas
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1078 Budapest, István utca 2, Hungary
G. Horváth*
Affiliation:
Environmental Optics Laboratory, Department of Biological Physics, Physical Institute, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1, Hungary
*
*Author for correspondence Phone: +0036 30-64-64-371 Fax: +0036 1-372-2757 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Host-seeking female tabanid flies, that need mammalian blood for the development of their eggs, can be captured by the classic canopy trap with an elevated shiny black sphere as a luring visual target. The design of more efficient tabanid traps is important for stock-breeders to control tabanids, since these blood-sucking insects can cause severe problems for livestock, especially for horse- and cattle-keepers: reduced meat/milk production in cattle farms, horses cannot be ridden, decreased quality of hides due to biting scars. We show here that male and female tabanids can be caught by a novel, weather-proof liquid-filled black tray laid on the ground, because the strongly and horizontally polarized light reflected from the black liquid surface attracts water-seeking polarotactic tabanids. We performed field experiments to reveal the ideal elevation of the liquid trap and to compare the tabanid-capturing efficiency of three different traps: (1) the classic canopy trap, (2) the new polarization liquid trap, and (3) the combination of the two traps. In field tests, we showed that the combined trap captures 2.4–8.2 times more tabanids than the canopy trap alone. The reason for the larger efficiency of the combined trap is that it captures simultaneously the host-seeking female and the water-seeking male and female tabanids. We suggest supplementing the traditional canopy trap with the new liquid trap in order to enhance the tabanid-capturing efficiency.

Keywords

horseflytabanid flycanopy trapliquid traplight polarizationpolarotaxis
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 103 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 665 - 674
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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