Abstract
Gnats tagged with radioactive phosphorus, released in the Palm Desert and Indio areas of the Coachella Valley in southern California, generally dispersed into agricultural areas and adjacent residential sections where favorable conditions existed for their feeding and breeding activities. They avoided virgin desert and barren hills, but were found to cross ½ mile of desert to suitable habitats on the far side. Dispersal occurred both up-wind and down-wind, but the greatest distance travelled in both experiments (4.1 and 4.3 miles, respectively) was with the wind. In one experiment, the population density was estimated at 3 to 5 thousand gnats per acre. Gnats were found resting at night on dry or damp ground, on soil clods, on dried rootlets protruding above the ground, and on foliage of low-growing plants.
Published Version
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