Students' Research Circle    
 
 
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
The conference
» Presentations
Jury
Sponsors
Awards-list
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Home » Archive » 2010 » Presentations

Presentations

Examination of the effectiveness of enticing surfaces of tent-shaped horsefly traps
Sándor András - year 2
SzIU, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Institute of Biology; ELTE, Természettudományi Kar, Fizikai Intézet, Biofizika Tanszék; ELTE, Természettudományi Kar, Embertani Tanszék
Supervisors: Horváth Gábor, Kriska György

Abstract:

Various damage caused by blood-sucking ectoparasites causes serious problems worldwide in the keeping of farm animals. This mainly means diseases, a decrease in milk-yield, in the amount of meat and the deterioration of the build, which are all caused by horseflies. A new discovery in the improvement of the tent-shaped horsefly traps used at present can be a determining factor. It is based on the fact that horseflies have positive polarotaxis, i. e. they are attracted to horizontal polarized light.This is because they find a place to lay their eggs on the basis of the horizontally polarized light which is reflected from the surface of the water. Moreover, this positive polarotaxis has an important role in male and female horseflies finding each other and in finding a host animal suitable for sucking blood from. In my research I examined the horsefly-attracting effect of bright, black attracting objects used in tent-shaped horsefly traps having different light polarization which were put at different heights from the ground. The examinations used multiple choice experiments. My aim was to get new information about the visual etology of horseflies, which makes it possible to develop tent-shaped horsefly traps that are more effective than the ones used at present. According to my findings, although the polarotaxis of these insects plays an important role in affecting both male and female horseflies, the contrast of the intensity of light compared to the surroundings is also of great importance in attracting female horseflies (which are ready to suck blood from a farther distance). On the basis of this perception, in my study I put forward a proposal for improving the enticing surface of present-day tent-shaped horsefly traps.



List of lectures