Light-attraction flight of the giant water bug, Lethocerus deyrolli (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae), an endangered wetland insect in East Asia

Tae Joong Yoon, Dong Gun Kim, Seon Yi Kim, Shin Il Jo, Yeon Jae Bae

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The giant water bug, Lethocerus deyrolli, is an endangered wetland insect found throughout East Asia. In 2006, the light-attraction flight of L. deyrolli was studied in Gyodong Island, Korea, using artificial light. The flight of L. deyrolli was observed from early June to late October, and two peaks in the numbers of attracted insects were noted in the middle of June and September. L. deyrolli begins to exhibit flight behaviour at a daily mean air temperature of 158C and above, but optimal flight temperatures for the insect are between 178C and 198C, with a wind speed of less than approximately 1.8 m/sec and a relative humidity of around 80%. The length of daylight did not substantially influence the flight pattern. Daily flight occurred principally between 9 pm and 10:30 pm. L. deyrolli individuals attracted by the artificial light were frequently consumed by magpies or house rats. It appears most probable that artificial lights, such as street lights and tennis court lights, constitute a critical factor in the local extinction of L. deyrolli.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)195-203
Number of pages9
JournalAquatic Insects
Volume32
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010 Sept

Keywords

  • Artificial light
  • Conservation
  • Flight behaviour
  • Giant water bug
  • Lethocerus deyrolli

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Aquatic Science
  • Insect Science

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