Document Type
Peer-Review Article
Abstract
A two year study was undertaken to determine the seasonal abundance and diversity of adult deer flies and horse flies, to compare two methods of sampling (Malaise trap and sweep net), and to estimate attack rates by tabanids on people at Lake Lansing Park-North, Ingham County, Michigan, in 1990 and 1991. Tabanids were sampled using dry ice-baited Malaise traps, and by making over- head sweeps with a standard insect net while hiking a trail. Hybomitra spp. (299 individuals of 9 species) peaked in abundance in mid-May to early June in both years. Chrysops spp. (11,675 individuals of 14 species) and Tabanus spp. (324 individuals of 8 species) peaked in early-to late-July in both study years. Peak abundance for Chrysops and Tabanus spp. occurred earlier in 1991 than 1990, probably because the spring of 1991 was warmer. There were six new species records for County. More individual Hybomitra and Tabanus were taken by M traps (77.3% for Hybomitra; 76.2% for Tabanus) than by netting (22.7% for Hybomitra; 23.8% for Tabanus). In contrast, sweep netting yielded more individual Chrysops (98.3%) than Malaise traps (1.7%). Tabanid attack rates on people hiking the trail exceeded 1,000 per hour on one occasion each year, at mid-season.
Recommended Citation
Strickler, Jeffrey D. and Walker, Edward D.
1993.
"Seasonal Abundance and Species Diversity of Adult Tabanidae (Diptera) at Lake Lansing Park-North, Michigan,"
The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 26
(2)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22543/0090-0222.1813
Available at:
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol26/iss2/3