Nocturnal Flights of Triatoma (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Sabino Canyon, Arizona: I. Light collections1

Abstract

Triatoma rubida uhleri, T. protracta protracta, and T. recurva were studied in Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona, to determine flight stimuli, daily and seasonal flight rhythms, and effects of various physical factors on flight and distances flown. A black light was operated for 4 to 6 nights per week during the summers of 1972 and 1973. For each bug collected, physical conditions were noted; physical factors that were important as flight stimuli were later determined by computer analysis of these data. Time of day (or amount of light) was found to influence triatomine flights. The vast majority of bugs were collected, in the first 4 h after dark. Nutritional state of the bugs was important—the majority of the bugs appeared to be starved. The most important physical factors promoting flight of T. rubida uhleri were high temperatures, low relative humidity and low wind speeds; for T. recurva the factors were temperatures in the range of 22 to 35°C and low relative humidity.