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Comparison of different trapping methods in Agromyzidae (Diptera)
Author(s) -
Scheirs J.,
Bruyn L.,
Tschirnhaus M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1997.tb01430.x
Subject(s) - agromyzidae , trapping , biology , intraspecific competition , malaise , pest analysis , ecology , sex ratio , phenology , range (aeronautics) , demography , botany , population , materials science , sociology , immunology , composite material
Trapping techniques are frequently used to monitor pest species. These trapping techniques have to provide reasonably precise estimates of densities and sex ratios of monitored species in order to apply appropriate insect pest control measures most efficiently. A broad range of trapping methods are applied to gather this basic ecological information. However, few studies question the reliability of trapping methods to obtain accurate data. Here, we investigate the usefulness of traps for the assessment of basic life‐history data in Agromyzidae. In this study, Malaise traps and coloured water traps are compared. Significant deviations of a 1♂: 1♀ sex ratio occurred both in Malaise and colour traps. The bias of these deviations of the sex ratio altered according to the trapping method. In the Malaise traps most significant deviations were female biased. All significant deviations observed in the colour traps were male biased. The overall sex ratio of all captured individuals was in every Malaise trap in favour of the females and in every colour trap in favour of the males. Different trapping methods also revealed intraspecific differences in phenology patterns. Agromyzid flies were trapped earlier in colour traps compared to Malaise traps. Possible explanations for the observed intraspecific differences in sex ratio and phenology pattern between traps are discussed. This study points out that a thorough analysis of the response of a target species to a certain trapping method is needed in order to ascertain the reliability of the collected data. The importance and consequences of these results for monitoring agromyzid pest species are emphasized.