A technique for the collection of engorged Tabanidae

A technique that was devised in Mississippi to overcome some of the problems associated with the collection of engorged tabanids from a bait animal is described. The bait animal was placed in a screened building (12 X 12 X 8 ft) constructed of eleven 4 X 8-ft and one 4 X 4-ft diagonally braced 2 X 4-inch frames covered with 4-mesh netting. These frames were bolted together, 3 to a side. The single opening was located in one corner and was 4 X 4 ft, the top half of the 4 X 8-ft space being closed with the 4 X 4 gauze frame. The top of the building was covered with 14 X 18-mesh gauze nailed to the wooden frame. A haltered bait animal was tied to a cleat in one of the corners away from the opening. Tabanids approaching flew round the structure and eventually entered it. After several tests, a shiny black ball (9 inches in diameter) was hung in the opening to facilitate the entrance of the flies into the building. When engorged, the tabanids flew to and rested on the screen, from which they were easily collected. This technique markedly reduced the amount of time required for collections since the animal could be left for several hours before the engorged tabanids needed to be collected. During a limited study, over 600 examples were collected, representing all the species known to be present in the area.