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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135999
Title: Comparison of particle velocity and sound pressure measurements in anechoic and medfly bioassay chambers

Author
item ANDERSON, JAMES - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item Mankin, Richard

Submitted to: Agroacoustics Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2012
Publication Date: 12/1/2012
Citation: Anderson, J.B., Mankin, R.W. 2012. Comparison of particle velocity and sound pressure measurements in anechoic and medfly bioassay chambers. Proceedings of the Fourth Symposium on Agroacoustics. p 8-16.

Interpretive Summary: None.

Technical Abstract: Many insects without tympanal ears do not perceive the pressure component of sound, but instead have movement receptors (usually small hairs on body or antennae) that are sensitive to sound particle velocity -- oscillations of air particles in the sound field. In our laboratory, efforts to develop an acoustic trap for mate-seeking female medflies have centered on utilizing the particle velocity component of the male acoustic calling signal. Bioassays in 61 x 61 x 152-cm chambers have demonstrated that traps reproducing male fruit fly calling songs capture virgin female fruit flies. In order to better understand the spatial dynamics of sound particle velocity in these bioassay chambers, simultaneous measurements/recordings of sound pressure and particle velocity were made and compared with recordings made inside an anechoic room. We also recorded particle velocities in the vicinity of a Multi-lure fruit fly trap. The results are discussed in relation to bioassay effectiveness.