Salt marsh Tabanidae (Diptera): comparison of abundance and distribution in Spartina and Juncus habitats

Greater diversity in species and higher numbers of adult female tabanids were collected in sticky traps and box traps in Spartina than in Juncus marshes in the central coast area of North Carolina during a 2-year study. The 3 most abundant species in both types of marshes were Tabanus nigrovittatus Macq., Chrysops atlanticus Pechuman and C. fuliginosus Wied. T. nigrovittatus was collected from 10 May to 25 September and had a peak from 5 to 14 June; C. atlanticus was collected from 23 April to 26 September, with a peak from 31 May to 8 June; C. fuliginosus was present from 8 April to 8 June, with a peak in the first week of May. Horizontal distribution in Spartina marsh habitats was determined by sticky traps. The highest numbers of T. nigrovittatus were trapped in the marsh; the lowest were obtained from the upland behind and inside nearby woods. The highest numbers of C. atlanticus were collected in the upland behind the woods and slightly less in the inner marsh; the lowest numbers were obtained from the upland inside the woods, the ecotone and the outer marsh. The highest numbers of C. fuliginosus were trapped in the inner marsh and the lowest from upland behind the woods.