Incidental Capture of Vertebrate Wildlife in Blacklight Insect Traps

Abstract

Fluorescent blacklight traps, a promising method for aiding in control of some insect pests, caused limited mortality of wildlife when a study was made in North Carolina and Virginia of their effectiveness for controlling tobacco insects. The red bat (Lasiurus borealis) was the chief vertebrate captured; 20 bats were taken in 410 traps in 50,950 trap-nights. Eleven squirrel tree frogs (Hyla squirrela) were taken in one trap in one night, but these were the only frogs captured. Three bluebirds (Sialia sialis) were also taken in one trap, presumably all at the some time; these were the only bluebirds known to have died as a result of trap operation. Other birds captured were four loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), two mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos), and two house sparrows (Passer domesticus). In an operational program, even this loss of wildlife might be reduced because traps are customarily placed near human homes to allow easy access to electric power, and thus home occupants can easily give the traps regular attention. Under such circumstances, loss of birds should be negligible. Because people generally have little interest in conserving bats, the limited loss of bats cannot readily be controlled. Bat mortality can be restricted by delaying operation of the traps until after 1 June. Capture of the tree frogs appeared to be a fortuitous event.