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The effect of wind‐borne odours on the direction of flight in tsetse flies, Glossina spp.
Author(s) -
BURSELL E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1987.tb00735.x
Subject(s) - tsetse fly , glossina morsitans , biology , plume , wind direction , atmospheric sciences , wind speed , meteorology , zoology , ecology , physics
. The direction of flight in tsetse flies ( Glossina pallidipes Aust. and G. m. morsitans Westw.) taking off in the presence of certain wind‐borne odours showed a significant upwind shift both in the field and in the laboratory. The average angular deviation between the resting orientation and flight direction was not materially affected by odour, but turns were steered in relation to wind direction if odour was present. Upwind flight in an odour plume was regularly preceded by a standing turn, the fly turning partly or completely into the wind before taking off in upwind flight. This suggests that wind direction was assessed, and flight direction determined, before the fly took off.