Monday, December 10, 2001 - 1:12 PM
0402

Behavioral time budgets for larvae of the Simulium jenningsi and the Simulium tuberosum species groups (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the laboratory

Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are biting pests and disease vectors whose larvae are an important component of lotic freshwater ecosystems. Time budgets of larval behavior were done for species of the Simulium jenningsi group (n=20) and S. tuberosum group (n=26) to obtain background information on feeding behavior for a study of behavioral resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Larvae were placed in a recirculating flume and videotaped for 15 minutes. The water temperature in the flume was 12° C for the S. tuberosum group and 18° C for the S. jenningsi group. The water velocity was 25 cm/sec for both groups. Flick rate, the time spent feeding with the right, left or both labral fans, the time both labral fans were closed and the time spent moving were recorded. Behaviors were observed at 0 mg/L and 10 mg/L of food added. Simulium tuberosum group larvae spent 54% of time feeding at 0 mg/L food added and 53% time feeding at 10 mg/L added. Larvae spent 24%, 25%, 5% at 0 mg/L added feeding with both, the right and the left labral fan respectively. For the 10mg/L added treatment larvae spent 20%, 22%, and 11% feeding with both, the right and the left labral fan respectively. Simulium jenningsi group larvae spent 73% of the time feeding during the 0mg/L treatment and 78% of the time feeding during the 10 mg/L treatment. During the 0 mg/L added treatment the larvae spent 25%, 35%, and 13% feeding with both, the right and left labral fans respectively. For the 10 mg/L treatment 49%, 17%, and 12% of the time was spent feeding with both, the right and the left labral fans respectively.

The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA