Seasonal flight period and relative abundance of Tabanidae (Diptera) near Ithaca, New York

Trapping of adult Tabanids in three canopy traps [cf. RAE/B 59, 1538] baited with carbon dioxide near Ithaca, New York, during the summer of 1970 yielded 5140 examples representing 37 species. In 1971, the 15 694 examples caught included 34 species. In all, 43 species belonging to the genera Atylotus, Chrysops, Hybomitra and Tabanus were caught. Flight dates and abundance are given for all species. H. lasiophthalma (Macq.), T. quinquevittatus Wied. and T. sulcifrons Macq. were far more abundant than all other species in both years. These and other common species had longer flight seasons than did the less abundant species, and they also occurred in much higher numbers in daily catches. More species and greater numbers of individuals were collected in a trap in a pasture containing livestock than in either of 2 traps isolated from such animals.