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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 #244827
Title: An Approach to Mark Arthropods for Mark Capture Type Research

Author
item Hagler, James
item JONES, VINCENT - Washington State University

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/2010
Publication Date: 4/2/2010
Citation: Hagler, J.R., Jones, V.P. 2010. An Approach to Mark Arthropods for Mark Capture Type Research. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 135: 177-192.

Interpretive Summary: Marking insects effectively is an essential component for studying insect dispersal and migration patterns. A series of studies were conducted to validate the second generation of protein marks for marking a wide variety of arthropods directly in the field. The second generation marks are unique because they are inexpensive proteins that are useful for mark-capture dispersal research. The markers tested included egg albumin protein in chicken egg whites and casein protein in bovine milk. The various studies showed that both marks were readily retained on a wide variety of arthropod species (e.g., insects and spiders). These protein markers provide a means for researchers to mark arthropods for large-scale dispersal research. The key advantages of the procedure are that it is inexpensive, relatively simple, reliable, and vast areas can be marked with conventional spray equipment. This methodology will have wide appeal to researchers studying various aspects of insect dispersal.

Technical Abstract: A series of studies were conducted to validate methods for marking a wide variety of arthropods with inexpensive proteins for mark-capture dispersal research. The markers tested included egg albumin protein in chicken egg whites and casein protein in bovine milk. The first study qualified the effectiveness of the two marks on over three dozen arthropod species inhabiting cotton via two application procedures. The application methods included: (1) a topical plus residual protein application, and (2) a residual only protein application. Both protein marks, regardless of the method of application, were readily retained on the arthropod assemblage over the duration of the study. The second study determined how rapidly insects acquire chicken egg albumin protein after contact exposure to cotton tissue sprayed with an egg whites solution. Data indicate that the vast majority of adult Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae) acquired the marker after five minutes and immature Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) acquired the marker after 40 minutes under laboratory conditions. The third study determine how rapidly H. convergens and L. hesperus acquire bovine casein protein after contact exposure to either alfalfa or lesquerella plants sprayed with a bovine milk solution. Data showed that these insects rapidly acquired the casein mark from the plant residue under field conditions. A final study determined how long H. convergens retain casein protein after 24 h exposure to alfalfa and lesquerella plants containing a 7 day old residue of bovine milk. Data showed that ˜95% of the H. convergens contained the casein mark for two days after removal from each type of plant.