Effect of trap design and color in evaluating activity of Tabanus abactor Philip in Texas Rolling Plains habitats.

The ability to monitor T. abactor was enhanced in a study conducted in the Texas Rolling Plains in 1994. Redberry juniper (Juniperus pinchoti), honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and a mixture of the 2 were determined to be preferred habitats after examining 4 different habitat types based on dominant vegetation in the area. Brown boards on the ground and white buckets in the air, both coated with Tanglefoot stickum, were used to capture the flies. These 2 types of traps can be successfully used to determine fly emergence, fly concentrations, and numbers of flights during a season. Colour was determined to be a visual attractant in 2 separate tests using sticky traps, and the location of the traps on the ground or in the air was critical when selecting colour. Brown and red colours were significantly more effective at ground level than in the air, while cyan and white colours were significantly more effective in the air than at ground level. Colour within trap type can be used to trap flies more efficiently. Female flies were trapped more efficiently on bucket traps in the air, and male flies were trapped more efficiently on board traps at ground level.