Trap Design Research Articles

Design of a fiber cavity ion trap for a high-efficiency and high-rate quantum network node

The main purpose of this paper is to design a novel coupled system of an ion trap and a fiber cavity. This integrated solution is achieved by fabricating a fiber cavity with a metal mask on the side and end faces of the fiber. The fiber cavity with the metal mask can transmit light and electric charges, and the metal mask on the fiber end-face can shield electric charges on the dielectric high-reflection film. This system is designed to trap a single <inline-formula><tex-math id="M1">\begin{document}$ ^{138}\text{Ba}^{+} $\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M1.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M1.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> ion and realize coupling of the fiber cavity to the fluorescence at a 493 nm wavelength of <inline-formula><tex-math id="M2">\begin{document}$ ^{138}\text{Ba}^{+} $\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M2.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M2.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula>. To efficiently collect fluorescent photons, we perform a theoretical analysis of the overall system to achieve optimal coupling of each individual part. The cavity length is designed to be <inline-formula><tex-math id="M3">\begin{document}$ 250 $\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M3.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M3.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> μm, and the optimized coupling parameters are <inline-formula><tex-math id="M5">\begin{document}$(g,\kappa,\gamma)/2{\text{π}}=(55,\;105,\;20)$\end{document}</tex-math><alternatives><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M5.jpg"/><graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="JUSTC-2023-0005_M5.png"/></alternatives></inline-formula> MHz. We also improve the stability and reliability of the system by analyzing the vibration, performance of the ion trap, and thermal stability. The core of the system is composed of materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients to improve thermal stability. The system uses spring connections to isolate vibrations inside and outside the vacuum chamber. We theoretically solve the difficulties of manufacturing the coupled system and have completed the experimental verification of some key technologies. The whole system is expected to be extended into a complex quantum network system to realize quantum computation and communication.

Sensor-based evaluation of a Urine Trap toilet in a shared bathroom.

Urine diversion in a No-Mix Toilet is a promising approach for sustainable fertilizers and reduction of the nutrient load for wastewater treatment; however, user adoption remains a challenge. This study evaluates the Urine Trap, a passive No-Mix toilet design based on the teapot effect, wherein the urine stream inlet is invisible to the user and therefore it does not impact the user experience for increased adoption. This study evaluated the nutrient separation performance of a Urine Trap flush toilet in a bathroom shared by women in two sites in India. Over three different testing periods, 841 uses of this squat plate were recorded in 50 days. Analytical measurements found 36 % separation efficiency for total nitrogen (TN). While effective, the Urine Trap under test by users did not yield a 70-80 % TN separation efficiency observed under engineering characterization. High temporal resolution data from sensors on waste collection tanks, the opening of the bathroom door, and cleansing water flow were used to gain insights into hygiene practices. The data showed a frequent habit of wetting the squat plate during physiological excretion, a hygienic practice that eases cleaning but degrades the teapot separation effect of the Urine Trap design. By using sensors, we demonstrate a method to non-invasively gain quantitative insights into hygiene practices to inform sanitation technologies deployment strategies for improved outcomes.

Capture Mechanism and Optimal Design of Micro-Particle Traps in HVAC/HVDC Gas Insulated Equipment

Gas-insulated equipment such as GIS (Gas-Insulated Substation) and GIL (Gas-Insulated transmission lines) faces critical insulation failure challenges caused by particles inside. However, the particle traps, as key devices available to inhibit the movement of particles, lack theoretical basis and quantitative methodology for trap design especially with high voltage ratings. In this paper, a particle motion excitation and observation platform is established to physically simulate the actual online operating conditions of HVAC/HVDC GIS/GIL and study the capture mechanism of particle traps. Experimental results illustrate that, the collision motion style is a principal factor to affect the particle capturing capability, and the capture behavior of AC and DC particle traps can be classified into three separate modes, depending on variation of the collision process which can be characterized by random probability and the lognormal distribution rebound angle. A particle trajectory simulation model incorporating motion randomness is thereby presented to realize quantitative analysis and further optimize the trap parameters. A hazard index and minimum collision times are defined and calculated to quantitatively evaluate the particle collision effect on trapping capability. Further, a novel trap design topology is proposed to enhance the anti-motion efficiency of the particle traps. Targeted at high objective capture probability, the particle trap parameters are optimized to reduce the hazard index and improve the minimum collision times by the Monte Carlo scheme. The obtained results indicated that, the capture probability of AC traps can reach 86.5% at a gap spacing of 5 mm, while that of DC traps can reach 74.1% with an 8 mm-width slot and a 50-degree inclination angle. Verification of the novel article trap is implemented on a test rig, which gives an increased capture probability by 30% compared with the traditional trap design. The proposed new trap topology and corresponding methodology present quantitative guidance for particle traps optimization and render application potential for different voltage levels.

Nutrient capture and sustainable yield maximized by a gear modification in artisanal fishing traps

Coral reef artisanal fisheries are an important source of nutrition and economic wellbeing for coastal communities, but their management is subject to conflicts and tradeoffs between short-term food security benefits and long-term ecological function. One potential tradeoff is between nutrient capture and fish yields, where targeting small, nutrient-dense species may be more valuable for food security than maximizing fish yields, which is more closely aligned with supporting biodiversity and ecological function. We explored these potential tradeoffs by comparing two similar gears: traditional African basket traps and traps modified with an escape gap. Traps without escape gaps captured a higher frequency of fish with body sizes below their estimated lengths at maximum sustainable yield than gated traps. Estimates of nutrient yields for six micronutrients among the 208 captured species indicated high hump-shaped relationships for gated traps and low and linear positive relationships for traditional traps. Maximum nutrients in gated traps frequently corresponded to body sizes at maximum sustainable yield. Daily capture rates of nutrients were above daily needs more often in gated than traditional traps, but calcium values were low in both trap designs. Gated traps were more likely to capture species with unique and potentially important functional traits, including browsing herbivores, which could have negative effects on ecological functions and reef recovery. However, gated traps also catch fewer immature fish and fewer predators. Our results indicate that nutrient yields can be maximized while using a gear that captures larger and more sustainable body sizes in coral reef artisanal fisheries. Preferential targeting of nutrient-dense fishes is only one of many metrics for evaluating a nutrition-centered management strategy and may only be a management target in specific contexts.

Linear camera trapping design for jaguar population surveys in the largest forest remnant of the Paraguayan Chaco

Linear camera trapping design for jaguar population surveys in the largest forest remnant of the Paraguayan Chaco

Development of Novel Early Detection Technology for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae).

Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand, threatens hemlock forests throughout eastern North America. Management efforts focus on early detection of HWA to ensure rapid management responses to control and stop the spread of this pest. This study's goal was to identify an affordable, efficient trap to aid with airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling approaches as an early monitoring tool for HWA. We initially compared HWA detection success between a standard sticky trap, commonly used for HWA monitoring, and trap designs potentially compatible with eDNA protocols (i.e., passive trap, funnel trap, and motorized trap). Passive, funnel, and motorized traps' estimated capture success probabilities compared to sticky traps were 0.87, 0.8, and 0.4, respectively. A secondary evaluation of a modified version of the motorized trap further assessed trap performance and determined the number of traps needed in a set area to efficiently detect HWA. By modifying the original motorized trap design, its estimated capture success probability increased to 0.67 compared to a sticky trap. Overall, the cumulative capture success over the 16-week sampling period for the motorized trap was 94% and 99% for the sticky trap. The number of traps did impact capture success, and trap elevation and distance to infested hemlocks influenced the number of adelgids captured per trap. As eDNA-based monitoring approaches continue to become incorporated into invasive species surveying, further refinement with these types of traps can be useful as an additional tool in the manager's toolbox.

Performance bounds of magnetic traps for neutral particles

Knowledge of the fundamental limitations on a magnetic trap for neutral particles is of paramount interest to designers as it allows for the rapid assessment of the feasibility of specific trap requirements or the quality of a given design. In this paper, performance limitations are defined for convexity of magnetic trapping potential and bias field using a local approximation in the trapping center. As an example, the fundamental bounds are computed for current supporting regions in the form of a spherical shell, a cylindrical region, and a box. A Pareto-optimal set considering both objectives is found and compared with known designs of the Baseball trap and Ioffe-Pritchard trap. The comparison reveals a significant gap in the performance of classical trap designs from the fundamental limitations. This indicates a possibility of improved trap designs and modern techniques of shape synthesis are applied in order to prove their existence. The topologically optimized traps perform almost two times better as compared to conventional designs. Last, but not least, the developed framework might serve as a prototype for the formulation of fundamental limitations on plasma confinement in a wider sense.

Use of CFD to optimize the design of a shunt pulsation trap (SPT) used for noise and vibration mitigation in oil free screw compressors

Noise and vibration are problems that are inherent in screw compressors and other Positive Displacement (PD)Machines. This problem is driven partly by the lobe passing frequencies inside these machines that are generated due to the meshing between the gate and main rotors teeth. Because these compressors are operated over a wide speed range and at various loads they usually run at off-design conditions leading to either over or under-compression. In both scenarios, the pressure within the compressor always changes rapidly to match the discharge or process pressure when the discharge opens thus leading to pulsation and noise. To ensure that the compressor is operated without over and or under compression, which also negatively affects the compressor efficiency Hi-Bar Blowers, Inc developed a Shunt Pulsation Trap (SPT) that will contain and reduce the pulsation inside the compressor cavities thus eliminating the use of a silencer at the inlet and the discharge. During the SPT development the CVS Silo King (SKL 1100) compressor was selected for benchmarking this technology. CFD was used extensively to simulate the SKL 1100 without and with the SPT integrated, which allowed the SPT design to be optimized. This paper will present the results obtained to demonstrate that this technology has the potential to eliminate over and under compression while at the same time leading to energy savings and reducing the compressor footprint and the noise and vibration that are commonplace in screw compressors.

A Synthetic Blend of Fruit and Live Yeast Odours Shows Promise for Trapping Mated Female Queensland Fruit Fly, Bactrocera tryoni, in the Field.

Tephritid fruit flies are major horticultural pests of fruit and vegetable crops. Developing an odour lure that can attract mated female flies under field conditions has presented a major challenge to chemical ecologists around the globe. We have designed a new lure to attract female Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, based on the knowledge that this pest tephritid is attracted not only to odours from ripening fruits, but also to odours of symbiotic (gut-associated) yeasts on which the larvae feed. Initial field trials screened four volatile mixtures, each containing a base mix of three, short-chain "fruit ripening" esters and differing in the addition of long-chain "fruity" esters and / or alcohols produced by live yeasts. Results demonstrated that the lure formulated from short-chain esters and live yeast alcohols attracted the most female flies, with significantly higher catches than an odourless control trap, and a protein-baited trap. As electrophysiological studies exploring peripheral responses in tephritids to alcohols associated with fermentation have not been extensively investigated, we conducted this work on both the antennae and maxillary palps, and discovered that three yeast alcohols were detected by both sensory organs. Performance trials conducted in pome fruit and stone fruit orchards evaluated the six-component blend of short-chain ester and live yeast alcohol lure against a commercially available synthetic fruit-odour lure and a protein-based lure. In the apple orchard, the new lure caught significantly more female flies, and in particular mated females, compared to the commercially available lures. In the stone fruit orchard, while the new lure again caught the most mated female flies compared to the other lures, differences were not significant. The visual stimulus (trap design) used had a significant effect on capture, with a Ladd trap (red sphere on a yellow panel) being considerably more effective than the other traps. We discuss the implications of this study, including why the degree of effectiveness of the new lure might have differed among the test orchards (citrus, apple, stonefruit), and why yeast odours might increase attractiveness to "ripening fruit" volatile blends under field conditions.

An evolution of pontoon traps for cod fishing (Gadus morhua) in the southern Baltic Sea

With increasing seal populations in the Baltic Sea comes growing interaction between seals and coastal fisheries. The impact of seals, mainly grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), on fisheries can be reduced by implementing of seal-safe fishing gear, which hinders seal access to catches. One successful solution is the introduction of a modified seal-safe trap net, the pontoon trap. In this study, pontoon traps were modified for use in cod (Gadus morhua) fisheries in the southern Baltic Sea. Three aspects of the pontoon trap design were tested for their effects on catch rates: (1) leader net mesh size; (2) leader net length; and (3) fish chamber position. The greatest catch rates were obtained using a leader net with a 100 mm center-knot to center-knot mesh-size on a bottom-set fish chamber while there was no difference in cod catch rates in relation to leader net length. There was no seal-induced damaged cod in the pontoon traps during any of the trials. Cod catch rates using the pontoon trap were also compared to those of the cod gillnet fishery in the same area. The comparison showed that during specific fishing occasions, multiple pontoon traps may have similar catch rates to gillnets.

Filth Fly Parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) Monitoring Techniques and Species Composition in Poultry Layer Facilities.

Muscid flies, especially house flies (Musca domestica L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), are a major pest of poultry layer facilities. Augmentative biological control of muscid flies with pteromalid wasps has gained increased attention in recent years. Knowing which pteromalid species are present in a specific area could produce more effective filth fly control. The purpose of this project was to survey parasitoid populations in poultry layer facilities in central and southeastern Pennsylvania from June through September. Two genera of parasitoids, Spalangia and Trichomalopsis, were collected over the course of the survey. Overall, out of 3,724 parasitized pupae the species collected in order of most to least common were Spalangia cameroni Perkins, Spalangia nigroaenea Curtis, Trichomalopsis spp., and Spalangia endius Walker. House fly parasitism overall and by each parasitoid species varied by location and over the four study months. A second objective was to evaluate a new parasitoid trap for surveying parasitoid wasp populations. This device uses a combination of house fly third instars and development media. This was compared to a more traditional method, the sentinel bag, which uses only fly pupae. A higher proportion of Spalangia spp. emerged from the new trap design and more Trichomalopsis spp. emerged from the sentinel bag. This suggests that using this new device alongside the traditional collection method may result in more accurate sampling of pteromalid populations.

An Evaluation of Snail Immobilization and Mortality Effects Using Selected Chemical Treatments for Potential Trapping Apparatuses

This study evaluated the immobilization and mortality effects of selected wet and dry chemical treatments on the giant African snail. The chemical treatments used were 5 g and 10 g respectively of sodium chloride, calcium hydroxide and copper sulphate. Distilled water was used as a control in the wet phase evaluation of the study. In the first phase, each treatment was dissolved in 1000 ml of water. A total of ten (10) snails were submerged into each treatment and this was replicated ten (10) times. In the second phase of the study, 5 g and 10 g respectively of each dry treatment was evenly sprinkled over ten (10) snails within a confined area. This was replicated ten (10) times. It was concluded that the submergence effects of the wet treatment resulted in 100 percent immobilization and mortality for both the calcium hydroxide and copper sulphate treatment at six (6) hours post submergence. The dry treatments had no effect on immobilization and mortality up to six (6) hours post treatment. There was no treatment effect of sodium chloride for both the wet and dry treatments. The study concludes that low cost solutions such as calcium hydroxide can have an effect on the immobilization of the giant African snail. This finding can enable the development of trap designs which could eliminate the one-way door design and enable multiple entrances. Although both calcium hydroxide and copper sulphate solutions were effective for the immobilization and death of the snails, calcium hydroxide is the recommended option given its low toxicological profile when compared to copper sulphate.

Wind Tunnel and Field Evaluation of Trapping Efficiency of Semiochemical Baited Camera-Traps for Capturing Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

Sex pheromone baited monitoring traps are a critical tool for integrated pest management decisions against many insects, particularly codling moths (Cydia pomonella L.). The addition of cameras for remote monitoring has the potential to enhance the usefulness of these important tools. However, changes in trap design could potentially alter plume structure and trapping efficiency of these new traps. Here we look at several trap configurations designed to optimize the capture of codling moths in traps equipped with cameras. We found that, in both wind tunnel and field trials, camera equipped triangle traps and camera equipped rectangle traps (both V1 and V2) caught codling moths equivalent to a standard 'delta' style trap. While catch was unaffected, altering our rectangular trap opening from 4 to 8 cm (V1 and V2, respectively) decreased frequency of moths contacting the front of trap and increased the frequency of moths flying directly into the trap. We show that these novel camera equipped semiochemical-baited traps catch equivalent to the industry standard white delta trap.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Fitch and Sherman Traps in a Grassland Ecosystem

Many studies of rodents rely on the use of live trapping. Comparative studies of trap type provide researchers with information that can inform their trapping design, yet relatively few comparative studies include economical mesh traps, such as Fitch traps. I compared the effectivess of Sherman box traps and Fitch mesh traps for rodent sampling in a grassland ecosystem. Between 2016 and 2017, I set 120 trap stations with both Fitch and Sherman traps for a total of 6000 trap nights at a single tallgrass prairie-restoration site in northern Illinois. I compared trap effectivess overall and for each species captured. Fitch traps were significantly better at capturing ground squirrels than Sherman traps and comparable to Sherman traps at capturing voles and jumping mice. These results demonstrate Fitch traps provide a viable alternative to Sherman traps for sampling at this location and indicate they should be considered in future comparative studies to further assess their effectiveness, especially in grasslands.

Moth light traps perform better with vanes: A comparison of different designs

AbstractMany light trap designs exist in the field of applied and basic entomology for catching moths, yet a robust comparative analysis of structural designs of such traps is lacking. Our study compares the performance of three different trap designs to assess the effect of presence/absence of vanes and their colour on trapping efficiency. LepiLED lamps were used in all traps as the light source. We hypothesized that traps with vanes (white and black) would perform better than the same trap with rods, since it improves flight interception of insects. Furthermore, we expected that between the two designs with vanes white would be more efficient than black due to a higher radiation emission and better visibility. The study was conducted between July and September 2021 at two locations in the nature reserve Jenaer Forst (Jena, Germany, N 50.926694, E 11.556583). At each location, we sampled in three understorey sites parallelly. The abundance, diversity and body size of 4432 moths belonging to 170 species and 12 different families were analysed. Traps with white vanes performed best with 10.5% more individuals and 7% more species than the trap with black vanes and with 19% more individuals and 16% more species than the traps with rods. Differences were significant between the two vane traps against rods, for both individuals and species, but differences between the two vane traps were not. In addition, traps with white vanes and with rods were tested indoors under controlled conditions for selected species. In four out of ten species, significantly more individuals were collected in the vane traps. We conclude that the use of vanes as a flight interception tool is important for improving the trapping efficiency. The colour of vanes is also likely to play a role because of an overall higher radiation emission and better visibility for insects.

Development of a Fixed-Wing Drone System for Aerial Insect Sampling

Most current insect research techniques are ground-based and provide scarce information about flying insects in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), which remains a poorly studied ecological niche. To address this gap, we developed a new insect-sampling method consisting of a fixed-wing drone platform with net traps attached to the fuselage, a mobile design that has optimal aerodynamic characteristics for insect capture in the PBL. We tested the proposed device on 16 flights in Doñana National Park (Spain) with two different trap designs fitted on the fuselage nose and wing. We collected 34 insect specimens belonging to four orders with a representation of twelve families at mean altitudes below 23 m above ground level and sampling altitudes between 9 and 365 m. This drone insect-sampling design constitutes a low-cost and low-impact method for insect monitoring in the PBL, especially in combination with other remote sensing technologies that directly quantify aerial insect abundance but do not provide taxonomic information, opening interesting possibilities for ecology and entomological research, with the possibility of transfer to economically important sectors, such as agriculture and health.

The use of baited stygofauna traps as a complimentary sampling method for sampling groundwater bores in the Pilbara, Western Australia

Stygofauna sampling predominantly comprises active sampling methods, such as net hauling or hand netting, which although highly effective at collecting specimens, can cause significant specimen damage and is unlikely to collect vagrant species. Studies assessing the efficacy of using stygofauna traps (both baited and unbaited) have been conducted with varying levels of success. Thus, the development of a robust and effective stygofauna trap design may be advantageous. Between 2021 and 2022, in conjunction with Rio Tinto, Biologic began developing and trialling a stygofauna trap designed to sample groundwater bores or drill holes intersecting groundwater, with the aim of evaluating the following hypotheses: The stygofauna trap design and method used would successfully collect stygofauna in groundwater bores and drill holes intersecting groundwater. Some taxa collected in stygofauna traps may differ from those collected in net haul samples, due to differences in ecological habit of fauna (crawling taxa colonising traps) or vagrant stygofauna (fauna travelling between suitable habitats). Specimens collected in traps will be in better condition than those collected in net haul samples. This has positive implications for taxonomic and molecular identification, as well as the collection of voucher specimens. The stygofauna trap design and method used would successfully collect stygofauna in groundwater bores and drill holes intersecting groundwater. Some taxa collected in stygofauna traps may differ from those collected in net haul samples, due to differences in ecological habit of fauna (crawling taxa colonising traps) or vagrant stygofauna (fauna travelling between suitable habitats). Specimens collected in traps will be in better condition than those collected in net haul samples. This has positive implications for taxonomic and molecular identification, as well as the collection of voucher specimens. Based on a fish funnel or box trap, the stygofauna traps consist of a 90mm cylindrical PVC frame, with a 150µm mesh inner lining. Both ends of the trap are capped with a removable funnel, allowing fauna to enter. In September 2021, a preliminary trial was conducted on sites intersecting the Robe and Bungaroo aquifers, in the coastal Pilbara region of Western Australia. These shallow aquifers are characterised by a highly abundant and rich stygofauna assemblage, typically dominated by crustaceans. Stygofauna traps (one trap per site) were deployed in seven groundwater bores or drill holes intersecting groundwater. The traps, baited with algae pellets, were set at the bottom of the bore, and collected between 12 and 24 hours of deployment. For comparison, net haul sampling was conducted at each site immediately prior to trap deployment. Results from the initial trial were promising, prompting a two season (wet and dry) study. This study commenced in March 2022, where traps were deployed in 11 sites across both aquifers. Two baited traps per site were deployed, one within 1m of the groundwater level and one at the end of the hole, for 72 hours, to determine if a longer deployment and an additional trap would yield better results. The final phase of sampling is planned for August 2022. Results from both the preliminary trial and first (wet) season of the 2022 study were very promising, with stygobitic taxa collected in four (of the seven) and nine (of eleven) trap sites respectively. The traps recorded a rich assemblage of stygofauna comprising Amphipoda, Copepoda, Gastropoda, Isopoda, Ostracoda and Thermosbaenacea. Compared to the respective net haul samples, the stygofauna traps yielded lower abundances and taxa richness. However, specimens collected in traps were in excellent morphological condition. At the conclusion of this study, taxonomic composition and abundance of stygofauna from the traps and net hauls will be analysed to provide further contextualisation of results.

Assessing small-mammal trapping design using spatially explicit capture recapture (SECR) modeling on long-term monitoring data.

Few studies have evaluated the optimal sampling design for tracking small mammal population trends, especially for rare or difficult to detect species. Spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) models present an advancement over non-spatial models by accounting for individual movement when estimating density. The salt marsh harvest mouse (SMHM; Reithrodontomys raviventris) is a federal and California state listed endangered species endemic to the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, California, USA; where a population in a subembayment has been continually monitored over an 18-year period using mark-recapture methods. We analyzed capture data within a SECR modeling framework that allowed us to account for differences in detection and movement between sexes. We compared the full dataset to subsampling scenarios to evaluate how the grid size (area) of the trap design, trap density (spacing), and number of consecutive trapping occasions (duration) influenced density estimates. To validate the subsampling methods, we ran Monte Carlo simulations based on the true parameter estimates for each specific year. We found that reducing the area of the trapping design by more than 36% resulted in the inability of the SECR model to replicate density estimates within the SE of the original density estimates. However, when trapping occasions were reduced from 4 to 3-nights the density estimates were indistinguishable from the full dataset. Furthermore, reducing trap density by 50% also resulted in density estimates comparable to the full dataset and was a substantially better model than reducing the trap area by 50%. Overall, our results indicated that moderate reductions in the number of trapping occasions or trap density could yield similar density estimates when using a SECR approach. This approach allows the optimization of field trapping efforts and designs by reducing field efforts while maintaining the same population estimate compared to the full dataset. Using a SECR approach may help other wildlife programs identify sampling efficiencies without sacrificing data integrity for long term monitoring of population densities.

Evaluation of insecticides and suitable trap containers for effective fruit fly catches

Fruit flies are quarantine pests and major impediments in horticultural production, domestic market, and export of fresh fruits and vegetables. Trapping with a lure is the best known method to monitor/ manage the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis populations. The fruit fly attraction and its mortality depend on the lure, type of killing agent, and design of the trap container. To make the trapping technology more robust, a study was conducted to find out the suitable killing agent amongst ten insecticides and the best trap design among the available six trap designs. The results revealed that emamectin benzoate 1.9EC was superior as killing agent with the maximum trap catches (648.75 to 1304.75 fruit flies/ trap) up to 12 weeks, followed by abamectin 1.9EC and profenophos 50EC. Among the trap designs, the CISH trap container was found to be superior (306.25 to 940.00 fruit flies/ trap/ week).

Comparison of surveillance trapping methods to monitor Culicoides biting midge activity in Trinidad, West Indies.

Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are biting nuisances and arbovirus vectors of both public health and veterinary significance in Trinidad. We compared sampling methods to define the behaviour and bionomics of adult Culicoides populations at a commercial dairy goat farm. Three static trap designs were compared: (a) Centre for Disease Control (CDC) downdraft UV trap; (b) CDC trap with an incandescent bulb and (c) CDC trap with semiochemical lure consisting of R-(-)-1-octen-3-ol and CO2 (no bulb). Sweep netting was used to define diel periodicity. A total of 30,701 biting midges were collected using static traps, dominated by female Culicoides furens (>70% of trap collections across all three designs). There was no significant difference in the Margalef's index between the three traps; however, trap designs A and C collected a significantly greater number of individuals than trap B, and trap C gained highest species richness. The greatest species richness and abundance of Culicoides collected by sweep net was observed between 6:00 and 6:15 pm and notable differences in the crepuscular activity pattern of several species were identified. Comparative data on Culicoides species richness, abundance, sex and reproductive status is discussed and can be used to improve surveillance strategies, research designs and risk management.