engleski

Ecological niches of horse flies and selectivity of Malaise traps (Diptera: Tabanidae)

The main purpose of this research was to determine the reasons for selectivity of Malaise traps. Research into the population of horse flies was conducted in a total of 16 field traps with utilization of Malaise traps in specific intervals, beetwen May ans september, in 1993on a pasture ground in Petrijevci and in 1998 and 1999 in the area of the Nature Park of Kopački rit. Samplings were carried out by means of red, black and blue linen Malaise traps with dry ice as an atractant. The used Malaise traps sampled a total of 1,305 horse flies classified into 20 species. The qualitative composition of determined species shows that Malaise traps sampled those species that take their blood meals on the ventral and lateral sides of abdomens of horses and cows and on their busts and necks. The selective operation of Malaise traps was indicated by the species: Chrysops parallelogrammus, Hybomitra ciureai and Tabanus bromius, which made 46.74% of all collected specimens. Their ecological niches are located on udders and on the ventral side of the abdomens of horses and cows. The species Tabanus autumnalis, Tabanus bovinus and Tabanus sudeticus fly down onto the Malaise trap from the outside and do not enter it most likely because they take their blood meals on the backs and lower part of the legs of horses and cows. Horse flies perceive the Malaise trap with dry ice as an attractant in the same manner as they see a horse or cow and thus they fly down on the trap onto the same places as when they fly down on the bodies of cattle.

Tabanidae; Malaise trap; selectivity; ecological niche

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