Light Traps Research Articles

Dynamics of malaria vector composition and Plasmodium falciparum infection in mainland Tanzania: 2017–2021 data from the national malaria vector entomological surveillance

BackgroundIn 2015, Tanzania National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) established a longitudinal malaria vector entomological surveillance (MVES). The MVES is aimed at a periodical assessment of malaria vector composition and abundance, feeding and resting behaviours, and Plasmodium falciparum infection in different malaria epidemiological strata to guide the NMCP on the deployment of appropriate malaria vector interventions. This work details the dynamics of malaria vector composition and transmission in different malaria epidemiological strata.MethodsThe MVES was conducted from 32 sentinel district councils across the country. Mosquitoes were collected by the trained community members and supervised by the NMCP and research institutions. Three consecutive night catches (indoor collection with CDC light trap and indoor/outdoor collection using bucket traps) were conducted monthly in three different households selected randomly from two to three wards within each district council. Collected mosquitoes were sorted and morphologically identified in the field. Thereafter, the samples were sent to the laboratory for molecular characterization using qPCR for species identification and detection of P. falciparum infections (sporozoites). ELISA technique was deployed for blood meal analysis from samples of blood-fed mosquitoes to determine the blood meal indices (BMI).ResultsA total of 63,226 mosquitoes were collected in 32 district councils from January 2017 to December 2021. Out of which, 39,279 (62%), 20,983 (33%) and 2964 (5%) were morphologically identified as Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), Anopheles funestus s.l., and as other Anopheles species, respectively. Out of 28,795 laboratory amplified mosquitoes, 13,645 (47%) were confirmed to be Anopheles arabiensis, 9904 (34%) as An. funestus sensu stricto (s.s.), and 5193 (19%) as An. gambiae s.s. The combined average entomological inoculation rates (EIR) were 0.46 (95% CI 0.028–0.928) for An. gambiae s.s., 0.836 (95% CI 0.138–1.559) for An. arabiensis, and 0.58 (95% CI 0.165–0.971) for An. funestus s.s. with variations across different malaria transmission strata. Anopheles funestus s.s. and An. arabiensis were predominant in the Lake and South-Eastern zones, respectively, mostly in high malaria transmission areas. Monthly mosquito densities displayed seasonal patterns, with two peaks following the rainy seasons, varying slightly across species and district councils.ConclusionAnopheles arabiensis remains the predominant vector species followed by An. funestus s.s. in the country. Therefore, strengthening integrated vector management including larval source management is recommended to address outdoor transmission by An. arabiensis to interrupt transmission particularly where EIR is greater than the required elimination threshold of less than one (< 1) to substantially reduce the prevalence of malaria infection.

Comparative assessment of a novel fan box trap for collecting Anopheles farauti and culicine mosquitoes alive in tropical north Queensland, Australia.

During preliminary mosquito surveys at Cowley Beach Training Area in north Queensland, Australia, it was found that the utility of the standard encephalitis virus surveillance (EVS) trap for collecting the malaria vector Anopheles farauti (Laveran) adults was compromised by the harsh tropical conditions. With the aim of increasing the survival rate of mosquitoes, we designed a downdraft fan box trap (FBT) that incorporated a screened fan at the bottom of the trap, so mosquitoes did not have to pass through a fan. The FBT was tested against the EVS and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light traps, where mosquitoes do pass through a fan, and a nonpowered passive box trap (PBT). We conducted 4 trials to compare the quantity and survival of An. farauti and culicine mosquitoes were collected in these traps. Although not significant, the FBT collected more An. farauti than the EVS trap and PBT and significantly less An. farauti than the CDC light trap. However, the FBT improved on the CDC light trap in terms of the survival of An. farauti adults collected, with a significantly higher percentage alive in the FBT (74.6%) than in the CDC light trap (27.5%). Thus, although the FBT did not collect as many anophelines as the CDC, it proved to be superior to current trap systems for collecting large numbers of live and relatively undamaged mosquitoes. Therefore, it is recommended that FBTs be used for collecting An. farauti adults in northern Australia, especially when high survival and sample quality are important.

Device Structure, Light Source Height, and Sunset Time Affect the Light-Trap Catching of Tea Leafhoppers.

Device structure, light source height, and climatic factors can potentially affect the catching of target pests in light traps. In this study, the installation of an anti-escape cover in a newly designed light trap significantly increased the number of catches of tea leafhoppers, Empoasca onukii, an economically significant pest of tea gardens, and it prevented 97.95% of leafhoppers from escaping. A series of assessments were performed in the field and showed that the optimal trapping window of the light trap was between 1.5 and 2.5 h (2 ± 0.35 h) after sunset, and the starting time of the window was positively correlated with the sunset time. The number of leafhopper catches decreased sharply when the height of the light source was above the flight height range of E. onukii adults. The height of the light source was optimal between 20 and 40 cm above the tea canopy. The efficacy of the light traps for capturing leafhoppers decreased in the autumn peak period. High numbers of leafhopper catches by the newly designed light trap in the summer could reduce E. onukii population sizes in the autumn. Overall, the newly designed light trap can be used to reduce E. onukii adult populations in tea gardens.

Ice templated and ice seed tailored hydrogels for highly efficient solar evaporator

In recent years, freshwater resources have become a global concern, and solar vapor generation (SVG) has garnered significant attention from researchers. Herein, a novel hydrogel solar evaporator was prepared by incorporating lignin and CuS-rGO into a chitosan-gelatin matrix. The anisotropic and isotropic morphologies of the hydrogel were prepared by pathway control on the solidification velocities of ice crystals and ice seeds. It presented that the anisotropic morphology can improve the refraction of light and increase the utilization rate of light by forming a light trap, leading to higher water evaporation rate. Additionally, ice seed was introduced during the freezing process, producing an anisotropic hydrogel with curled layer structure that endowed lower enthalpy of water evaporation and faster water transfer rate, resulting in high evaporate of 3.62 kg m−2 h−1 under one solar irradiation with photothermal conversion efficiency of 97.7 %. Finally, the gel also demonstrated good mechanical properties, long-term working stability and harsh environment tolerance, which make it ideal for outdoor applications. The hydrogel evaporator had potential to generate 25.24 kg m2 water per day that could meet the huge demand for freshwater as sources.

Environmental and geographical factors influence the occurrence and abundance of the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, in Hawai‘i

Hawaiian honeycreepers, a group of endemic Hawaiian forest birds, are being threatened by avian malaria, a non-native disease that is driving honeycreepers populations to extinction. Avian malaria is caused by the parasite Plasmodium relictum, which is transmitted by the invasive mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Environmental and geographical factors play an important role in shaping mosquito-borne disease transmission dynamics through their influence on the distribution and abundance of mosquitoes. We assessed the effects of environmental (temperature, precipitation), geographic (site, elevation, distance to anthropogenic features), and trap type (CDC light trap, CDC gravid trap) factors on mosquito occurrence and abundance. Occurrence was analyzed using classification and regression tree models (CART) and generalized linear models (GLM); abundance (count data) was analyzed using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Models predicted highest mosquito occurrence at mid-elevation sites and between July and November. Occurrence increased with temperature and precipitation up to 580 mm. For abundance, the best model was a zero-inflated negative-binomial model that indicated higher abundance of mosquitoes at mid-elevation sites and peak abundance between August and October. Estimation of occurrence and abundance as well as understanding the factors that influence them are key for mosquito control, which may reduce the risk of forest bird extinction.

Breeding habitats, bionomics and phylogenetic analysis of Aedes aegypti and first detection of Culiseta longiareolata, and Ae. hirsutus in Somali Region, eastern Ethiopia.

Arboviral diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, are caused by viruses that are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. However, the status of arbovirus vectors in eastern Ethiopia is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate distribution, breeding habitat, bionomics and phylogenetic relationship of Aedes aegypti mosquito species in Somali Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia. Entomological surveys were conducted in four sites including Jigjiga, Degehabur, Kebridehar and Godey in 2018 (October to December) to study the distribution of Ae. aegypti and with a follow-up collection in 2020 (July-December). In addition, an investigation into the seasonality and bionomics of Ae. aegypti was conducted in 2021 (January-April) in Kebridehar town. Adult mosquitoes were collected from indoor and outdoor locations using CDC light traps (LTs), pyrethrum spray collection (PSCs), and aspirators. Larvae and pupae were also collected from a total of 169 water-holding containers using a dipper between October and November 2020 (rainy season) in Kebridehar town. The species identification of wild caught and reared adults was conducted using a taxonomic key. In addition, species identification using mitochondrial and nuclear genes maximum likelihood-based phylogenetic analysis was performed. In the 2018 collection, Ae. aegypti was found in all study sites (Jigjiga, Degahabour, Kebridehar and Godey). In the 2020-2021 collection, a total of 470 (Female = 341, Male = 129) wild caught adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected, mostly during the rainy season with the highest frequency in November (n = 177) while the lowest abundance was in the dry season (n = 14) for both February and March. The majority of Ae. aegypt were caught using PSC (n = 365) followed by CDC LT (n = 102) and least were collected by aspirator from an animal shelter (n = 3). Aedes aegypti larval density was highest in tires (0.97 larvae per dip) followed by cemented cisterns (0.73 larvae per dip) and the Relative Breeding Index (RBI) was 0.87 and Container Index (CI) was 0.56. Genetic analysis of ITS2 and COI revealed one and 18 haplotypes, respectively and phylogenetic analysis confirmed species identification. The 2022 collection revealed no Ae. aegpti, but two previously uncharacterized species to that region. Phylogenetic analysis of these two species revealed their identities as Ae. hirsutus and Culiseta longiareolata. Data from our study indicate that, Ae. aegypti is present both during the wet and dry seasons due to the availability of breeding habitats, including water containers like cemented cisterns, tires, barrels, and plastic containers. This study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a national entomological surveillance program for Aedes in Somali region.

Experimental realization of one-dimensional single-atom array based on microscale optical dipole traps

Neutral atom array serves as a crucial experimental platform for studying many-body physics, quantum computing, and quantum simulation. In this work, we describe in detail the experimental process of preparing a one-dimensional homogeneous single atom array containing 40 Cs atoms, including the dipole trap array generation device, atomic array fluorescence imaging, and the uniformity optimization of the dipole trap array. The beam waist of the dipole trap is about 1.8 μm, and the spatial resolution of the imaging system is higher than 1.55 μm. The non-uniformity of dipole trap array is mainly caused by the intermodulation effect of multi-tone signal during amplification. The uniformity of the dipole trap array is optimized to 2% (Fig. (a)) by measuring the fluctuations of the dipole trap intensity and the light shift of trapped atom, and providing feedback to adjust the phase and amplitude applied to the multi-tone RF signal on acousto-optic deflectors. Furthermore, the uniformity of oscillation frequency, loading rate, and lifetime for trapped atom in the dipole trap array are measured. These results show that oscillation frequency has a uniformity within 2% (Fig. (b)); mean loading rate is around 58% with a uniformity within 3%; and mean lifetime of single atom in dark trap is around 6(1) s with a uniformity within 8%.

The Collapsible Light Trap: a portable Pennsylvania Light Trap for collecting aquatic insects.

A Collapsible Light Trap (CLT) for collecting insects, particularly aquatic insects, is described here. CLT is a modified Pennsylvania Light Trap with the advantage of being collapsible and lightweight to be carried in a small backpack and very easy to set up in the field. CLT is equipped with LED light strip wrapped around a PVC tube and can be connected to a regular 12 V / 7 Ah battery, running for more than 48 uninterrupted hours. Complete CLT weighs 0.8-1.0 kg, depending on the metal used, and the battery weighs around 2 kg, being easily transportable to more remote collecting areas. Over the years, CLTs have been used for collecting and describing the diversity of aquatic insects from Brazil, particularly caddisflies. Depending on the locality, only one trap for one night can collect over a thousand insect specimens and more than 200 individuals of caddisflies.

Distribution, survivability and susceptibility status of Anopheles mosquitoes in Kamamaung Township, Kayin State in Myanmar

Malaria endemicity is remaining in hard to reach and insurgent areas in Myanmar, where high density of primary and secondary vectors are available. Present study was determined the distribution, survivability and insecticides susceptibility status of vectors and non-vectors of malaria in Katinehtit village Kamamaung Township, Kayin State from July 2020 to June 2021. Mosquitoes were collected by Kanda net for animal bait and CDC light traps for indoor and outdoor collection from 18:00 to 00:06 hour. Survivability rate of An. dirus, An. minimu, An. aconitus, An. philippinensis, An. vagus and An. culicifacies were measured under the group of banana plants and susceptibility of collected mosquitoes were tested with WHO recommended insecteds. A total of 2207 mosquitoes consist of 13 Anopheles mosquito adult were collected by different collection methods by Cattle bate 1581(71.64%), Light trap indoor 174(7.88%), Light trap outdoor 297(13.46%), Morning Resting 43(1.95%) and Near the resting plant 112(5.07). Main vector An. dirus and An. minimus were mostly collected in Rainey season in high density and An. dirus was disappeared in hot season. Main vector An. minimus and secondary vector as An. philippinensis, An. culicifacies, An. maculatus, An. aconitus and nan vector An. barbirostris and An. hyrcanus were collected in all seasons. An. philippinensis, An. barbirostris and An. hyrcanus were abundantly collected. The highest survivability rate was found An. dirus and An. vagus for 8 days (10%) followed by An. culicifacies (20%), An. philippinensis (10%), An. minimus (20%) for 7 days and lowest was found An. aconitus for 6 days (20%). High density of An. dirus larvae were collected from rock pools and An. minimus was collected in sand pools, rice fields water, bed of Yonsalin creeks and water pools. All the collected mosquitoes were susceptible to Deltamethrin 0.05%, Permethrin 0.75% and Cyfuthris 0.15%. In conclusion, high density of main malaria vectors and secondary vectors were collected from Katinehtit village is a high risk area of malaria. Although all the collected main and secondary vectors were susceptible to WHO recommended insecticides. Therefore, Long Lasting Insecticide impregnated nets can be preventing the transmission of malaria in this area.

Designing and Evaluating a Portable UV-LED Vane Trap to Expedite Arthropod Biodiversity Discovery.

A novel design of a portable funnel light trap (PFLT) was presented for collecting insects in ecological studies. The trap consists of a compact plastic box equipped with a light source and power source, along with two plastic polypropylene interception vanes. The PFLT costs 18.3 USD per unit and weighs approximately 300 g. A maximum of six PFLT units can be packed in one medium-sized backpack (32 cm × 45 cm × 15 cm, 20 L), making it easier to set up multiple units in remote areas wherein biodiversity research is needed. The low cost and weight of the trap also allows for large-scale deployment. The design is customizable and can be easily manufactured to fit various research needs. To validate the PFLT's efficacy in collecting insects across different habitat types, a series of field experiments were conducted in South Korea and Laos, where 37 trials were carried out. The PFLT successfully collected 7497 insects without experiencing battery issues or damage by rain or wind. Insect compositions and abundances differed across the three sampled habitat types: forests, grasslands, and watersides. This new FLT trap is an important tool for studying and protecting insect biodiversity, particularly in areas wherein conventional light traps cannot be deployed.

Levitation of air-borne strong-absorbing nanoparticle clusters dominated by photophorestic force and migration behavior under thermophorestic force

In order to explore the levitation and migration behavior of strongly absorbing nanoparticle clusters in air by using laser technique, in this study trapping and levitating nanoparticle clusters is proposed based on the counter-propagated bi-Bessel beams, and then the clusters are released to observe and analyze their migration behaviors. Two Bessel beams are generated by a conical lens and polarizing beam splitter, arranged horizontally in reverse to form a three-dimensional optical trap. The stiffness of the optical trap can be controlled by adjusting the power ratio of the two Bessel beams. The particles in the levitation chamber are fluidized through weak airflow, and then captured and levitated by a light trap. A high-speed camera is used to record the levitation and migration process of clusters. The particle motion parameters can be obtained through image analysis. The strong-absorbing ultrafine coal particle clusters are first selected to conduct the experiments on their levitation and release migration. Then, the photophorestic force, gravity, buoyancy, drag force, and thermophorestic force acting on the clusters are calculated and analyzed. The experimental and computational results indicate that the photophorestic force of air-borne strong-absorbing nanoparticle clusters generated by laser illumination dominates the levitation; nanoparticle clusters can be stably levitated in a three-dimensional potential well formed by counter-propagated bi-Bessel beams, achieving dynamic equilibrium with gravity, buoyancy, drag, etc. by adjusting the levitation position. The relative instability parameter of levitation is used to evaluate the stability of air-borne strong-absorbing nanoparticle clusters, and the minimum relative instability of ultrafine coal particle clusters reaches 0.075. By analyzing the images of nanoparticle cluster recorded by high-speed camera after being released, the migration motion parameters of the cluster can be obtained, therefore the thermophorestic force acting on the cluster is accurately measured. For the ultrafine coal particle clusters with equivalent particle sizes in a range of approximately 13–21 μm, the magnitudes of their thermophorestic forces are in a range of 10&lt;sup&gt;–11&lt;/sup&gt;–10&lt;sup&gt;–10&lt;/sup&gt; N. As the cluster size increases, the thermophorestic force increases linearly, which is consistent with the theoretical calculation trend. The use of laser to levitate and release particles provides a novel approach for measuring and analyzing thermophorestic force, and also presents a novel manipulation tool for controlling and transporting particles in a gaseous medium.

Results of experimental simulation of interaction between corium of a nuclear reactor and sacrificial material (Al&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;) with a lead layer

&lt;abstract&gt; &lt;p&gt;This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the interaction of a candidate sacrificial material (SM) for a light water reactor melt trap with corium at the Lava-B test-bench. The candidate sacrificial material is a combination of aluminum oxide and a lead layer. The idea of using such a combination of SM is based on the fact that when the lead layer interacts with corium, there will be an increase in the intensity of heat removal from the corium, as well as the chemical interaction between the corium and SM due to the high heat-conducting properties of lead. This approach will improve the efficiency of corium localization in the melt trap compared to the current set of sacrificial material. Experiments have shown active melting and boiling of lead during its interaction with corium. This is confirmed both by the readings of thermocouples and by the X-ray diffraction phase analysis of the deposit material formed on the walls of the melt receiver (MR) of the Lava-B bench, sampled after the experiment. The experiment results show that the lead layer reduces the rate of increase in the temperature of the corium and increases the rate of erosion of the ceramic part of the SM. With these circumstances, it is possible to conclude that the use of aluminum oxide with a lead layer is promising in practice.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/abstract&gt;

Exploring the Utility of Light Traps for Early Detection and Management of Rice Insect Pests

Exploring the Utility of Light Traps for Early Detection and Management of Rice Insect Pests

An inventory of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh

The current research work was done to evaluate the diversity and distribution of moths (Lepidoptera) from Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh. The sample of moths was collected from 4 villages in Mandi (Sadar Mandi, Joginder Nagar, Sarkaghat, and Sunder Nagar) that lie at an altitude of 750–1,200 m above the main sea level and 5 villages in Kullu (Banjar, Tandi, Chethar, Bini, and Bahu) that lie at an altitude of 1,300–2,000 m above the main sea level. The collection was done in the months from August 2020 to October 2020 and June 2021 to October 2021. The collection of moths was done at night because moths are nocturnal species, using a light trap method. The samples were then sacrificed using a few drops of ethyl acetate in a killing jar. Afterward, the samples were pinned and stretched. A total of 300 samples (230 from Kullu and 70 from Mandi) were collected, which belong to 82 species, 67 genera, 20 subfamilies, and 14 families were collected and identified. From Kullu district, we collected 43 species, and from Mandi, we collected 13 species. Other than these, 26 species were found to be common in both Kullu and Mandi districts, making a total of 69 species from Kullu and 39 species from Mandi. The genitalia dissection of 54 moth’s samples was also performed. The most species-rich family was Erebidae, which includes 40 species, and the most abundant species during the study was Nyctemera adversata (Schaller, 1788). The moth’s population was found to be highest in the Kullu district, and the diversity of moths was highest in the months of July- September and declined from October onward.

Management Technique Against Spodoptera Exigua (Hübner) in the Different Elevation of Shallot

Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (beet armyworm) as the destructive insect pest in shallot. The purpose of the research is to determine difference of S. exigua management techniques based elevation in two different plantation. The research was conducted by collected primary data from shallot farmers in Anggeraja District (Mataran 650 m asl and Pekalobean 840 m asl) and Baraka District (Perarian 1.014 m asl and Parinding 638 m asl). The two places used in research is the center of shallot plantation in Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi. The data was obtained by survey used 15 shallot farmers in each village. The results showed the control techniques different according to the elevation. S. exigua controlled by nylon nets only in areas &lt; 700 m asl (Mataran 53% and Parinding 27%). In areas with elevation &gt; 700 m asl (result of light trap in Mataran by 87% and Parinding by 80%). In the elevation &gt; 700 m asl (result of light trap in Pekalobean about 100% and Perangian 0%). The mechanical control techniques by squeezing insect pest eggs at elevation of &gt; 700 m asl (Pekalobean 93% and Perangian 6%), elevation of &lt; 700 m asl (Mataran and Parinding both showed 60%). Conclusion of research, the control techniques different based on the elevation of shallot plantation.

Brief report: Diversity of mosquito in East Surabaya

Mosquitoes are insects that are detrimental to human health because they act as disease vectors, such as dengue fever. Surabaya was known for its high risk of dengue fever. This study aims to describe the diversity of mosquitoes and breeding site distribution in Eastern Surabaya. The study was conducted in 2021 during the end of the wet season in different habitat types in the eastern Surabaya (residential, city park, bamboo forest, and mangrove forest). Eggs, larval, and adult-stage mosquitoes were collected and stored in the Entomology Laboratory for morphological identification. Adult mosquito was collected by using a sweep net and light trap method, while the larva and egg were collected incidentally from breeding sites. The diversity of mosquitoes in the Eastern Surabaya was determined by using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’), dominance, species richness (R), and breeding site distribution. Eleven species were obtained in this study, namely Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Aedes annandalei, Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles vagus, Anopheles barbirostris, Culex bitaeniorhynchus, Culex pseudovishnui, Culex quinquefasciatus, Mansonia uniformis, and Malaya genurostris. The H’ index of 1.63 indicates the mosquito community was at a moderate level. The R-value of 1.56 indicates a low level of mosquito species richness. The most abundant species was Cx. quinquefasciatus (37.2%). Most of the breeding sites with mosquito larval infested were found in open areas (79.3%). These numbers mean the total of individuals of each species tends to be low and its dominance shows no effect on other species. The data on mosquito species and their distribution in Surabaya could be used as base information for vector control strategies.

Fostering Biodiversity: Unleashing the Potential of Refugia to Enhance Arthropod Diversity in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Farms

Background: The utilization of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) offers a solution to chili cultivation pest challenges by implementing ecological engineering strategies, such as planting refugia. These refugia serve as SNAP (Shelter, Nectar, Alternative Food, and Pollen) sources for beneficial insects. This study aimed to assess the impact of refugia planting on arthropod-type diversity and explore the influence of abiotic factors on arthropod populations. Methods: Conducted from February to May 2023, the research utilized various traps (sweep net, yellow trap, pitfall trap, and light trap) and visual control for specimen collection. Results: The identification revealed the presence of three classes, ten orders, and 31 families. Arthropod populations in chilli fields with refugia totaled 867 individuals, whereas those without refugia amounted to 475. Conclusions: Planting refugia led to an elevated diversity index and evenness of arthropods, coupled with a lower dominance index compared to fields without refugia. Surprisingly, temperature and air humidity did not exhibit a significant impact on the arthropod population in chilli fields.

Identification of Optimum Time for Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata Lugens) Sampling using the Light Traps

Monitoring brown planthopper (BPH) populations is essential to prevent damage and loss of paddy yields. Malaysia Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI) has developed a light trap system to monitor the BPH pest population. Compared to the manual process, this system increased the efficiency of monitoring BPH pests by 50%. As the power source of the light trap system is limited, the time to capture the pest is limited to avoid the complication of counting the BPH population. Therefore, the objective of this study is to find the best time to capture the BPH samples that represent the actual BPH population of the night. Three light traps were installed at a paddy plot, MARDI Parit, Perak, Malaysia, to determine the best possible time for sampling. The experiment was carried out from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. At every one-hour interval, samples were taken, and the number of BPH trapped by each light trap system was manually counted. The result shows that the optimal time to capture BPH is between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. By using a one-hour sampling time interval, the efficiency of monitoring the population can be increased and, at the same time, minimize power consumption of the light trap.

Experience from a light trap Lepidoptera survey in a populated settlement: effects of meteorological factors and changes in lunar phases

In the framework of the research, light trap Lepidoptera collections were carried out in the territory of a settlement (Velyki Berehy, Zakarpatska Oblast, Ukraine), which is bordered by nature reserves, forests, and agricultural areas, as well as by the remains of a large marsh (Szernye bog) that had been drained in the past. A Jermy light trap with a household LED bulb was used to capture the moths and butterflies. In addition to assessing the Lepidoptera fauna of the area, the study aimed to find out which species of Lepidoptera are attracted to energy-saving light bulbs commonly used in households in a settlement located in a habitat-diverse environment. In addition to the artificial light pollution conditions and other anthropogenic influences of the settlement, the direction and magnitude of the effects of temperature, relative humidity, cloud cover, wind speed, and moon phase parameters at the time of collection on the flight trends of nocturnal Lepidoptera species were also investigated. A total of 97 days of collecting between May 2018 and May 2019 resulted in the collection of 122 Lepidoptera species from 16 families. In terms of their ecological requirements, species were found in closed and open forest, forest edge, scrub, meadow, actively cultivated and abandoned agricultural areas, as well as in dry and wet areas. Several species considered being agricultural, forestry, or horticultural pests were identified, but not in abundance. Among the environmental variables, temperature variation showed a strong significant positive correlation with daily species numbers and abundance, while relative humidity, wind speed, cloud coverage and moon phases showed varying degrees of negative correlation, but were generally weak. The effects of the interactions of natural and man-made environmental influences on living organisms are difficult to assess objectively, but their research is of paramount importance for the long-term effective conservation of habitats of particular conservation value and for the preservation of their biodiversity.

Diversity Of Insect Pests And Natural Enemies In Green Bean (Vigna Radiata) Plantations In Lakekun Village, Kobalima District, East Malaka

This research was conducted in Lakekun Village, Kobalima District, Malaka Regency from May to July 2023, aiming to determine the types of insect pests and natural enemies in mung beans. Data collection was carried out using direct observation techniques on mung bean plants and sampling using several traps. The types of traps used were pitfall trap, swepnet, yellow sticky trap, swing net and light trap. Sampling was done diagonally to determine the sample unit. The number of observation plots in the field is 3 observation plots. in 1 plot there are 5 sample units and a total of 3 observation plots there are 15 aub plots observed. Insect pests found on mung bean in the research location have three roles, namely as pests, predators and parasitoids. Species that act as pests consist of Artherigona exigua, Nezara viridula L, Aphis craccivora, Halyomopha halys, Riptortus linearis, Adoretus sp. and Gralliclava horrens. Insects that act as predators consist of Menochilus sexmaculatus, Coccinella transversalis, Orthhetrum sabina, Iscunara senegalensis. While insects that act as parasitoids are Tiphia femorata. The highest population found at the research site was Aphis craccivora which amounted to 315 individuals and the lowest population was Graliclava horrens with a total of 7 individuals. The value of the diversity index in mung bean plants is classified as moderate, namely 1.89.&#x0D; Keywords: diversity, insects, mung bean, identification.