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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141531
Title: EVALUATION OF A NOVEL REMOVAL TRAP SYSTEM TO REDUCE BITING MIDGE (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) POPULATIONS IN FLORIDA BACKYARDS

Author
item CILEK, J - FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY
item Kline, Daniel - Dan
item HALLMON, C - FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Vector Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/25/2002
Publication Date: 6/1/2003
Citation: CILEK, J.E., KLINE, D.L., HALLMON, C.H. EVALUATION OF A NOVEL REMOVAL TRAP SYSTEM TO REDUCE BITING MIDGE (DIPTERA: CERATOPOGONIDAE) POPULATIONS IN FLORIDA BACKYARDS. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY. 2003. v.28(1).p.23-30.

Interpretive Summary: A major emphasis of current pest management research by scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, is the development of selective, environmentally friendly methods of control. Biting midge control research is no exception. Success will depend upon the development of efficient trapping technology, effective attractants and strategic placement of these baited traps for maximum impact on the target population. The present work was a cooperative study with scientists from the Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center, Florida A & M University, Panama City, FL, to evaluate the feasibility of using a removal trapping system to reduce biting midge annoyance in residential backyards. Suction traps baited with carbon dioxide and a 4:1:8 mixture of 1-octen-3-ol, 3-n-propylphenol and 4-methylphenol were operated continuously during a 4 month long study. One baited trap was placed in each of three backyards. When the biting midge populations were most abundant, the baited traps did not provide much reduction in annoyance, but when populations were not at peak levels, reduction in annoyance occurred with greater frequency. It was concluded that in order to achieve consistent population/annoyance reduction it is likely that more than one strategically placed trap per backyard may be needed.

Technical Abstract: A removal trapping method that employed individual lure-baited insect suction traps for the reduction of adult biting midges (Culicoides spp.) was evaluated in a coastal residential neighborhood of northwestern Florida during 2000. Six backyards were used in the study. Lure-baited traps consisted of one ABC PRO insect suction trap (fitted with a 30 by 30-mesh polyester screen bag) baited with carbon dioxide (500 ml/min) and a 4:1:8 mixture of 1-octen-3-ol, 3-n-propylphenol, and 4-methylphenol (5.39 ± 0.54 mg/h) placed in each of three backyards. Lure-baited traps ran continuously during the 4-mo study. Three backyards without lure-baited traps served as controls. Adult midge populations were monitored twice weekly for 24-h in each backyard using an additional ABC PRO trap baited with carbon dioxide (500 ml/min) only. Five species of biting midges were collected from all traps in each backyard (in descending order): Culicoides mississippiensis, C. barbosai, C. melleus, C. furens, and C. hollensis. Overall reduction was not consistent in lure-baited backyards and ranged from 2.3% to 70.6% on 16 of the 30 sample dates. But when biting midge populations seasonally declined to a weekly average of <500 midges per lure-baited trap, reduction occurred more frequently. Midge reduction did not appear to be species specific.