Factors influencing the diurnal behaviour of white rhino (Ceratotherium simum) in Matobo National Park,Zimbabwe

Activity periods and diurnal behaviour of southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) were studied in Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe, from August 2016 to July 2017 using camera trapping and focal group sampling, respectively. Camera trap data showed that diurnal and nocturnal movements of white rhino varied significantly with moon phase, with more frequent nocturnal photographic captures during full- and third-quarter moon phases than during new and crescent moon phases. Permutational MANOVA and canonical correspondence analysis of focal group observation data were used to test the effects of season, time of day, habitat type, distance to roads, moon phase, presence/absence of other mammals, age/sex category, individual identity and herd composition on daytime behaviour. Weather conditions accounted for the majority of variation in rhino behaviour, with more time spent feeding during cloudy and rainy weather than sunny weather. Time of day and moon phase also accounted for high variation in behaviour, followed by habitat attributes and age/sex category. Variance partitioning by sets of explanatory variables showed that weather conditions had the greatest explanatory power in the variation of rhino behaviour, followed by temporal attributes, habitat attributes and age/sex category. Our findings provide insights for white rhino population management strategies aimed at increasing the effectiveness of security patrols, minimising disturbance and improving sightings for tourists.     

Early detection of Agrilus planipennis: investigations into the attractive range of the sex pheromone (3Z)-lactone

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a highly destructive primary pest of ash (Fraxinus sp., Oleaceae) trees outside of its native range. Ash is an important component of many ecosystems and its loss would be detrimental to both the economy and the environment. The present study aimed to improve our understanding of the effectiveness of green sticky prism traps baited with host kairomone and insect pheromone lures for A. planipennis and to collect data for modelling the range of attraction of the pheromone (3Z)-dodecen-12-olide [(3Z)-lactone]. Traps were deployed over a single flight season in urban locations of Ontario, Canada, with low densities of EAB. Traps were placed in pairs of trees separated by not more than 25 m. All traps contained the host kairomone, (3Z)-hexenol, with the remaining half in each pairing additionally baited with (3Z)-lactone pheromone. Both lure types were highly effective in capturing EAB, with >90% detection rates overall. However, traps baited with the lactone pheromone and host volatile lures doubled trap captures of EAB over distances of at least 25 m from the nearest traps baited with only host volatiles. Although the baseline detection rate of traps containing (3Z)-hexenol alone is not significantly reduced compared with traps containing (3Z)-lactone, the overall trap effectiveness is significantly increased when (3Z)-lactone is present. The implications for the use of (3Z)-lactone at 3 mg per septum dose in an early warning trapping system are discussed. Trap layout methods and risk-based analysis models can now be further refined by including these data about the attractive range of lures and their behaviour in different plot environments.     

Distributions of western flower thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and its predatory bug Orius niger (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) assessed by coloured sticky traps and plant samplings in cotton

The capturing efficiency of four coloured (yellow, green, white and blue) sticky traps, placed at the top, middle and bottom strata of cotton plants, was tested for the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and its predatory bug, Orius niger (Wolff) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), as well as spatial distributions of both insects on the plant in years 2006 and 2007. The white coloured trap was the most attractive to F. occidentalis and O. niger in the 2-year study. The blue coloured trap was the least attractive for Orius. The mean numbers of F. occidentalis and O. niger on the top plant parts (flowers and leaves) and in all coloured traps positioned on the upper parts of the plants were greater than those found in the lower two strata. Taylor's power law analysis showed that F. occidentalis and O. niger adults aggregated in the flowers or on the leaves. This study suggests that top flowers could be preferentially sampled to determine population densities of Frankliniella flower thrips and Orius species in cotton, and thus, sticky traps should be placed on the top level of plants. F. occidentalis: O. niger ratios in the flowers varied from 4 to 60 thrips per Orius adult in the three plant strata. This result may indicate that F. occidentalis experiences more predation from Orius.     

Seasonal dispersal of water beetles (Coleoptera) in an agricultural landscape: a study using Moericke traps in northwest Spain

Information on flight dispersal in water beetles in the Iberian Peninsula is scarce. This study provides new data on the dispersion flight phenology of 21 species captured using Moericke traps in an agricultural system in León province (NW Spain) during two annual cycles (1992 and 1993). The species captured form part of the assemblage of aquatic Coleoptera commonly found in stagnant environments in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. Most of them are good flyers and colonisers. These flights are related to two environmental variables: mean atmospheric temperature and rainfall. The results show a clear relation between temperature and the flight period as most of the specimens dispersed during peaks of high mean daily temperatures, and a negative relation with rainfall. With regard to phenology, two types of dispersion strategy were identified: flights in the middle of summer to escape from drought and flights in spring and autumn for colonising new habitats. The first group includes Hydroglyphus geminus (Fabricius) and, in particular, Helophorus brevipalpis Bedel, whose great abundance in the dispersal stage is related to parthenogenetic reproduction and the rapid production of a large number of colonising females. The second strategy corresponds to univoltine species with overwintering adults such as Helophorus alternans Gené or species from the genus Hydroporus Clairville.     

Air and surface soil samples – two different pairs of shoes? Comparing the pollen spectrum on different days of the pollen season

The pollen spectra of air and surface soil samples from a rooftop (at 14 m) and from ground level (at 1.6 m) in the suburbs of Vienna (Austria) were compared. Two soil samples and two air samples were taken on four different days to account for possible differences: in winter when no pollination occurred (reference day), in spring during the main flowering of Betula (birch day), in spring/summer during the main flowering of Poaceae (grass day), and in autumn during the main flowering of Ambrosia (ragweed day). Thirty-five different pollen types were used to describe the pollen spectra. Frequencies of certain pollen types reflect a seasonal impact on both the surface soil and air samples and show a similarity between air and soil samples on most of the days. However, the seasonal impact is higher in the air samples and shows a high consistency for ground and rooftop level. Kendall’s tau correlation coefficients further substantiate the similarities of the samples especially for the pollen season days. Exceptions include the winter day when pollination was low and the air samples recorded nearly no pollen at all, and the ragweed day when Ambrosia pollen was abundant in three of four samples but not in the ground surface soil sample. Thus, (1) air and surface pollen samples record similar signals during the pollen season but not during the ragweed and winter season and (2) air and surface pollen samples show the impact of local vegetation also in pollen traps located at different heights.     

Arbovirus surveillance using FTATM cards in modified CO2‐baited encephalitis virus surveillance traps in the Northern Territory,Australia

In 2016, modified CO₂‐baited encephalitis virus surveillance (EVS) traps were evaluated for flavivirus surveillance in the Northern Territory, Australia. The traps were fitted with honey‐soaked nucleic acid preservation cards (FTA^TM) for mosquitoes to expectorate virus while feeding on the cards. Cards were tested for the presence of selected arboviruses, with two cards testing positive for Kunjin virus and Alfuy, while sentinel chickens tested in parallel also showed Kunjin virus activity at the same time. The results from the cards and vector mosquito feeding rates indicate that CO₂‐baited EVS traps coupled with honey‐baited FTA^TM cards are an effective tool for broad‐scale arbovirus surveillance.     

The relationship between pheromone trap catch and local population density of the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae)

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Habitat use of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in Brazilian Amazon

Amazonia forest plays a major role in providing ecosystem services for human and sanctuaries for wildlife. However, ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation in the Brazilian Amazon has threatened both. The ocelot is an ecologically important mesopredator and a potential conservation ambassador species, yet there are no previous studies on its habitat preference and spatial patterns in this biome. From 2010 to 2017, twelve sites were surveyed, totaling 899 camera trap stations, the largest known dataset for this species. Using occupancy modeling incorporating spatial autocorrelation, we assessed habitat use for ocelot populations across the Brazilian Amazon. Our results revealed a positive sigmoidal correlation between remote‐sensing derived metrics of forest cover, disjunct core area density, elevation, distance to roads, distance to settlements and habitat use, and that habitat use by ocelots was negatively associated with slope and distance to river/lake. These findings shed light on the regional scale habitat use of ocelots and indicate important species–habitat relationships, thus providing valuable information for conservation management and land‐use planning.