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Active and resting behaviour of virgin and pregnant females of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) in the laboratory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

C. Rowcliffe  and
L. H. Finlayson
C. Rowcliffe
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
L. H. Finlayson
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, University of Birmingham, P.O. Box 363, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Abstract

Activity in virgin and pregnant females of Glossina morsitans morsitans Westw. was very low and mostly took the form of short bursts of flight. Recently-fed virgins and females in early and mid-pregnancy were least active. In late pregnancy, activity increased and more walking occurred. In all classes of females, activity was least around midday, but the V-shaped curve became less pronounced as parturition approached. There was evidence of a slight preference for black over white surfaces when landing but a clear preference for black resting sites. Virgin females preferred to alight and rest on vertical surfaces at the borders of areas of visual contrast; pregnant females preferred to alight and rest on horizontal surfaces and showed no attraction to regions of contrast. In a horizontal light gradient, pregnant females selected lighter resting sites as the day progressed. In late pregnancy, there was an increasing tendency to rest in darker sites. Increasing the temperature in the light gradient caused an increase in activity around 34°C and a switch to photonegative behaviour. After larviposition, the females became strongly photopositive even at high temperature (38°C), but after a feed they reverted to the ‘normal’ photonegative response to high temperature.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 72 , Issue 2 , June 1982 , pp. 271 - 288
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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