Rearing of Texas Tabanidae (Diptera). 1. Collection, feeding and maintenance of coastal marsh species

Date

1978

Authors

Thompson, P.H.
Krauter, P.C.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Entomological Society of Washington

Abstract

In order to study methods of rearing, 1639 females of several species of coastal marsh Tabanidae were collected in modified Manitoba Traps and in modified Animal Traps, augmented with CO SUB-2 from dry ice, at west Galveston Bay, Texas (USA) 5 dominant species: Tabanus nigrovittatus, 1228; T. lineola var. hinellus, 349; and T. acutus, 62. Immediately after their collection, many females fed on warmed, citrated beef blood which was held in prophylactics derived from animal membranes. From 26.7-39.6% of 353 females of the 3 species engorged to repletion on prophylactics placed on top of trap collection containers. Survivorship curves for one sample population showed that mortality rates were fairly constitent at all age levels for these 3 species 50% and O% survivorships, respectively, occurred at 5 days and 50 days for T. nigrovittatus; 4 days and 36 days, T. lineola var. hinellus; and 9 days and 49 days, T. acutus. Comparison of collected dates of minor species, with that from a study made in 1971, indicated that several inland species had greatly declined or disappeared in the 6-yr interim between 1971 and 1977.

Description

pgs. 616-625

Keywords

manitoba trap nets, Tabanus nigrovittatus, Tabanus lineola, Tabanus acutus, aquatic insects, survival, feeding behavior, entomology

Citation