RAPID ANALYSIS OF ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED HOMOPTERAN FEEDING-BEHAVIOR

Historically, a bottleneck in the analysis of electronically monitored insect feeding behavior (EMIF) of homopterans has been the conversion of raw waveform data into a format that is easy to analyze. Here we p resent an efficient method for the analysis of EMIF recordings using M icrosoft Excel, a popular spreadsheet program. Recordings were made wi th WinDaq, data-acquisition software from Dataq Instruments. Waveform transitions were saved to file using WinDaq's annotation utility. Subs equent data analysis of the WinDaq data file was performed using a cus tom-designed Microsoft Excel EMIF workbook. After experiment-specific variables are entered and the data ale is imported by the user, a comp lete analysis is performed automatically. The Excel workbook summarize s the results and generates an output file for further statistical ana lysis. Any EMIF data file containing waveform codes and cumulative tim e (i.e., time from the beginning of the recording, in seconds) can be analyzed. The new method described in this article was used to analyze EMIF recordings of 2 homopteran species, Aphis gossypii Clover (Aphid idae) and Empoasca kraemeri Ross & Moore (Cicadellidae). Identificatio n and file export took an average of 5 s per waveform occurrence; the total time required to identify all waveforms and export them to file will depend on the number of occurrences of each waveform in the EMIF recording, quality of the recording, waveform variability. level of us er experience, and computer speed. The subsequent analysis of each rec ording with the EMIF workbook took between 1 and 2 min. Use of the EMI F workbook has the following advantages: (1) it can be used to analyze EMIF recordings of any homopteran species: (2) it is compatible with any data acquisition software capable of exporting data files containi ng waveform codes and cumulative time, as well as with data files with a similar format; (3) it can be used in conjunction with both AC and DC EMIF systems; and (4) it is fast, flexible, and user-friendly.