Monitoring the Flights of Field Crickets (Gryllus Spp.) and a Tachinid Fly (Euphasiopteryx Ochracea) in North Florida

Abstract

Traps broadcasting synthetic calls sampled flights of Gryllus firmus and G. rubens for 3 years in a pasture near Gainesville, Florida. Both species flew at all times of year with a major peak in the fall. Average annual catch of G. firmus for the trap broadcasting firmus call was 163 (39% male), with mean monthly catches varying from <1 in February to 63 in October. The trap broadcasting rubens call captured an annual average of 8,209 G. rubens (44% male), with mean monthly catches ranging from 29 in January to 1,956 in September. During July and August, G. rubens flew throughout the night. Gravid females of Euphasiopteryx ochracea, a parasitoid of Gryllus, were attracted to the rubens trap but not to the firmus trap. In one year 948 were caught, with lows of 0 in January, April, and June; and a high of 789 in October.