Behavioral Responses of Winged Bean Aphids to Colored Fluorescent Lamps1

Abstract

The behavioral response of the bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli, a yellow-sensitive species, to yellow and other colored fluorescent lamps was observed in a flight chamber. In replicated experiments where flying aphids had a choice of 2 lamps, a blacklight lamp was the most attractive lamp tested. The other lamps listed in order of most to least attractive are: blue, cool green, pink, green, yellow (gold), and red. The yellow and red lamps reduced insect activity and blacklight increased aphid activity. These observed effects of the lamps on aphid behavior are related to both the ultraviolet and the visible energy emitted by the various lamps. Polarizing the energy emitted from a yellow lamp and a “natural” white lamp did not make them more attractive to the aphids. The reduced flight activity observed under the yellow lamp would indicate that the response to yellow reflective surfaces and yellow lamps may be the same, inhibition of flight activity.