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Title: ATTRACTIVENESS OF FLICKERING AND NON-FLICKERING COOL WHITE FLUORESCENT LIGHT TO CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS, MUSCA DOMESTICA AND PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELA ADULTS, AND ACHETA DOMESTICUS AND PERIPLANETA AMERICANA NYMPHS

Author
item Chu, Chang Chi
item CHEN, TIAN-YE - U OF AZ PHOENIX, AZ
item Henneberry, Thomas

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2005
Publication Date: 2/1/2006
Citation: Chu, C., Chen, T., Henneberry, T.J. 2006. Attractiveness of flickering and non-flickering cool white fluorescent light to culex quinquefasciatus, musca domestica and pectinophora gossypiela adults, and acheta domesticus and periplaneta americana nymphs. Southwestern Entomologist 31:77-81.

Interpretive Summary: The behaviors of five household pest insects were studied using our light bioassay system. Southern house mosquito and housefly were attracted more to DC powered non-flickering cool white fluorescent light than AC-powered flickering light sources. Pink bollworm moths were attracted more to flickering than non-flickering sources. House crickets were attracted similarly to both flickering and non-flickering sources.

Technical Abstract: The attractive properties of flickering and non-flickering white fluorescent light to the southern house mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus Say), housefly (Musca domestica L.) and pink boll worm (Pectinophora gossypiela Saunders) adults, and house cricket (Acheta domesticcus L.) and American cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.) nymphs were studied in a dark room using an experimental light system. Fewer southern house mosquito and housefly adults were caught on clear film sticky card traps placed over non-flickering cool white fluorescent light sources compared with traps placed over flickering light sources. Similar numbers of pink bollworm moths were caught on clear film sticky card traps placed over non-flickering cool white fluorescent light sources compared with traps placed over flickering light, however, the highest number of moths were found in the light system branch at the location described above (junctures of branch floor and sticky card bottom) with non-flickering cool white fluorescent light sources compared with flickering light sources.