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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Pest Management and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #191205
Title: An inexpensive immunomarking technique for studying movement patterns of naturally occurring insect populations.

Author
item JONES, VINCENT - WSU, WENATCHEE, WA
item Hagler, James
item BRUNNER, JAY - WSU, WENATCHEE, WA
item BAKER, CALLIE - WSU, WENATCHEE, WA
item WILBURN, TAWNEE - WSU, WENATCHEE, WA

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2006
Publication Date: 9/1/2006
Citation: Jones, V.P., Hagler, J.R., Brunner, J.F., Baker, C.C., Wilburn, T.D. 2006. An inexpensive immunomarking technique for studying movement patterns of naturally occurring insect populations. Environmental Entomology 35(4): 827-836.

Interpretive Summary: An in-the-field arthropod marking system was developed that allows the treatment of large areas with inexpensive and readily available proteins that could be applied using standard spray equipment and that could be detected on or in arthropods at low levels using commercially available antibodies. We developed and tested enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) against chicken egg albumin, bovine casein, and soy protein as potential marking systems. There was no cross-reaction between the three antigens allowing each insect sample to be screened separately against all three markers to detect inter-area movement patterns. We examined the different methods by which the mark could be acquired, effect of water used to dilute the marker, the ease with which the marker could be removed from leaf surfaces, and examined longevity in field trials. The techniques presented allow us to mark a large portion of the naturally occurring insects within an area and quantify dispersal patterns between marked and unmarked areas.

Technical Abstract: An immuno-marking system was developed that allows the treatment of large areas with inexpensive and readily available proteins that could be applied using standard spray equipment and that could be detected on or in arthropods at low levels using commercially available antibodies. We developed and tested enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) against chicken egg albumin, bovine casein, and soy protein as potential marking systems. There was no cross-reaction between the three antigens allowing each insect sample to be screened separately against all three markers to detect inter-area movement patterns. We examined the different methods by which the mark could be acquired, effect of water used to dilute the marker, the ease with which the marker could be removed from leaf surfaces, and examined longevity in field trials. The techniques presented allow us to mark a large portion of the naturally occurring insects within an area and quantify dispersal patterns between marked and unmarked areas.