Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 113-123 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata |
| Volume | 166 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 8 Mar 2018 |
Abstract
Fungus gnats occur worldwide with more than 1 700 described species. They can cause serious damages on ornamentals, crop plants, and edible mushrooms, and are considered to be a serious pest in the last years. Bradysia difformisFrey (Diptera: Sciaridae) represents a common species in Europe. Usually, yellow sticky traps are used for monitoring and control in greenhouses and fluorescent tube-based light traps are additionally applied for control in mushroom cultivation. The importance of such visual trapping measures for efficient monitoring or alternative control increases in biological and integrated plant protection. However, detailed color preferences of fungus gnats are mostly unknown. We studied the visual orientation of B. difformis with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a broad range of peak wavelengths from 371 nm (ultraviolet, UV) to 619 nm (amber). We determined attractive wavelengths in consecutive choice experiments in daylight and darkness. Highest numbers of adult B. difformis were attracted to UV radiation (382 nm) followed by green-yellow light (532–592 nm). The responses to UV and the green-yellow range were relatively unspecific and mostly independent from intensity. Combination of UV and yellow LEDs improved trapping efficacy compared to a single UV or yellow LED trap, as well as compared to a common yellow sticky trap. When both wavelengths were compared to a black surface to increase contrasts, the black surface was preferred over yellow, but was less attractive than UV. Thus, B. difformis displays two, probably wavelength-specific, behaviors to UV radiation and green-yellow light, with UV being the most attractive stimulus. These behaviors might be directly related to underlying photoreceptors, suggesting dichromatic vision in B. difformis.
Keywords
- biological control, color preference, Diptera, greenhouse pest, LED trap, light-emitting diode, monitoring, sciarid fly, Sciaridae, wavelength-specific behavior
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Insect Science
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In: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, Vol. 166, No. 2, 08.03.2018, p. 113-123.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Visual orientation of the black fungus gnat, Bradysia difformis, explored using LEDs
AU - Stukenberg, Niklas
AU - Ahrens, Niklas
AU - Poehling, Hans Michael
PY - 2018/3/8
Y1 - 2018/3/8
N2 - Fungus gnats occur worldwide with more than 1 700 described species. They can cause serious damages on ornamentals, crop plants, and edible mushrooms, and are considered to be a serious pest in the last years. Bradysia difformisFrey (Diptera: Sciaridae) represents a common species in Europe. Usually, yellow sticky traps are used for monitoring and control in greenhouses and fluorescent tube-based light traps are additionally applied for control in mushroom cultivation. The importance of such visual trapping measures for efficient monitoring or alternative control increases in biological and integrated plant protection. However, detailed color preferences of fungus gnats are mostly unknown. We studied the visual orientation of B. difformis with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a broad range of peak wavelengths from 371 nm (ultraviolet, UV) to 619 nm (amber). We determined attractive wavelengths in consecutive choice experiments in daylight and darkness. Highest numbers of adult B. difformis were attracted to UV radiation (382 nm) followed by green-yellow light (532–592 nm). The responses to UV and the green-yellow range were relatively unspecific and mostly independent from intensity. Combination of UV and yellow LEDs improved trapping efficacy compared to a single UV or yellow LED trap, as well as compared to a common yellow sticky trap. When both wavelengths were compared to a black surface to increase contrasts, the black surface was preferred over yellow, but was less attractive than UV. Thus, B. difformis displays two, probably wavelength-specific, behaviors to UV radiation and green-yellow light, with UV being the most attractive stimulus. These behaviors might be directly related to underlying photoreceptors, suggesting dichromatic vision in B. difformis.
AB - Fungus gnats occur worldwide with more than 1 700 described species. They can cause serious damages on ornamentals, crop plants, and edible mushrooms, and are considered to be a serious pest in the last years. Bradysia difformisFrey (Diptera: Sciaridae) represents a common species in Europe. Usually, yellow sticky traps are used for monitoring and control in greenhouses and fluorescent tube-based light traps are additionally applied for control in mushroom cultivation. The importance of such visual trapping measures for efficient monitoring or alternative control increases in biological and integrated plant protection. However, detailed color preferences of fungus gnats are mostly unknown. We studied the visual orientation of B. difformis with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a broad range of peak wavelengths from 371 nm (ultraviolet, UV) to 619 nm (amber). We determined attractive wavelengths in consecutive choice experiments in daylight and darkness. Highest numbers of adult B. difformis were attracted to UV radiation (382 nm) followed by green-yellow light (532–592 nm). The responses to UV and the green-yellow range were relatively unspecific and mostly independent from intensity. Combination of UV and yellow LEDs improved trapping efficacy compared to a single UV or yellow LED trap, as well as compared to a common yellow sticky trap. When both wavelengths were compared to a black surface to increase contrasts, the black surface was preferred over yellow, but was less attractive than UV. Thus, B. difformis displays two, probably wavelength-specific, behaviors to UV radiation and green-yellow light, with UV being the most attractive stimulus. These behaviors might be directly related to underlying photoreceptors, suggesting dichromatic vision in B. difformis.
KW - biological control
KW - color preference
KW - Diptera
KW - greenhouse pest
KW - LED trap
KW - light-emitting diode
KW - monitoring
KW - sciarid fly
KW - Sciaridae
KW - wavelength-specific behavior
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042613563&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/eea.12652
DO - 10.1111/eea.12652
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042613563
VL - 166
SP - 113
EP - 123
JO - Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
JF - Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
SN - 0013-8703
IS - 2
ER -