Factors influencing silhouette-trap captures of the blackfly Austrosimulium bancrofti (Taylor) (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the Australian Capital Territory

Abstract

AbstractThree carbon-dioxide-baited silhouette traps of different shape were used to investigate aspects of trap-finding by Austrosimulium bancrofti (Taylor) in the Australian Capital Territory. Highly significant effects were included in a model which generated fitted estimates of the number of flies captured under defined conditions. Fitted captures indicated higher numbers were collected on two of the 15 trapping days. Low wind and high cloud cover increased trap catches. Temperature and solar flux had a quadratic effect, with fitted catches indicating that the highest numbers were captured at 19°C and 620·6 W/m2. The results were compared with trap captures of A. bancrofti 1300 km north in Queensland.