Summer flight activity patterns of Tabanus abactor (Diptera : Tabanidae) Philip in the Texas Rolling Plains

Flight activity of Tabanus abactor Philip was monitored for five years from 1994 to 1998 on the Y Ranch in the Texas Rolling Plains. White bucket trap s suspended 1 m above ground and brown board traps placed on the ground wer e coated with polyisobutlene to ensnare the flies. Study locations were con fined to areas dominated by redberry juniper, Juniperus pinchoti Sudw. Ther e were two activity cycles each year, but peak periods of activity were not consistent among years. In three years, the first peak occurred between mi d- and late June, but in the other two years the first peak in numbers did not occur until after mid-July. Population trends were similar on the board and bucket traps, although board traps captured 60% more flies than bucket traps. Fly numbers ranged from 14.0 to 66.3 per week on board traps in 199 8 and 1995, respectively. Correlation analyses indicated that numbers of fl ies captured on sticky traps were enhanced by rainfall and were suppressed by high temperatures.