Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135622
Title: PARASITOID MARK-RELEASE-RECAPTURE TECHNIQUES I. DEVELOPMENT OF A BATTERY-OPERATED SUCTION TRAP FOR COLLECTING MINUTE INSECTS

Author
item Hagler, James
item Machtley, Scott
item Leggett, Joseph

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2002
Publication Date: 12/1/2002
Citation: HAGLER, J.R., MACHTLEY, S.A., LEGGETT, J.E. PARASITOID MARK-RELEASE-RECAPTURE TECHNIQUES I. DEVELOPMENT OF A BATTERY-OPERATED SUCTION TRAP FOR COLLECTING MINUTE INSECTS. BIOCONTROL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. 2002. pp. 653-659

Interpretive Summary: A through understanding of parasitoid dispersal patterns is required to effectively utilize parasitoids for biological pest control. Parasitoids released in augmentative biological control programs must spread from the release site to occupy the targeted area. A major barrier to tracking parasitoid movement effectively in the field is the lack of reliable methods to recapture marked parasitoids. This paper describes how to build an inexpensive battery-operated suction trap that selectively collects parasitoids. A single researcher can collect the contents from dozens of these traps placed in temporal and spatial sampling grids in a matter of minutes. The trap is inexpensive, user-friendly, portable and non-lethal and non-destructive to insects. The trap should help researchers study parasitoid dispersal.

Technical Abstract: We present a detailed description of how to build a lightweight, battery-operated suction trap to selectively collect minute insects. A single researcher can collect the contents from dozens of these traps in a matter of minutes. The trap is inexpensive, user-friendly, portable and non-lethal and non-destructive to trapped insects.