Landing Distribution and Density of Two Sound-Attracted Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscus)1

Abstract

Flying adults of two mole crickets, Scapteriscus acletus and S. vicinus, were attracted to synthetic, conspecific male calling songs, broadcast at 116 to 117 dB, and centrally positioned over a series of concentric rings to investigate their landing distribution. Landing densities of S. acletus were more consistent and concentrated about the sound than were densities of S. vicinus. Landing densities per m2 were fitted to a power function of the form Y = (x/a)−β, where x is distance from the sound source, Y is expected density relative to that at 0.5 radius of a 1.5-m-diameter circle (containing sound source at center), and β is the rate at which relative density decreases with distance. Predicting mole cricket landing densities outside a 1.5-m-diameter ring (used in standard sound trapping) is important in estimating total numbers attracted.