Seasonal and Diel Flight Periodicities of Rice Field Hydrophilidae

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Abstract
Seasonal flight patterns and diel flight periodicities of Berosus styliferus Horn, Cercyon praetextatus (Say), Enochrus cuspidatus (LeConte), E. hamiltoni (Horn), E. pygmaeus pectoralis (LeConte), Hydrophilus triangularis Say, Tropisternus columbianus Brown, and T. lateralis humeralis Mots. were monitored using a rotary net machine and a blacklight trap, in conjunction with measurements of temperature, wind speed, and time of sunrise and sunset. Seasonal variations in date of initiation of flight, relative abundance of individuals, and time of peak flight activity existed among the species. Peak flight typically occurred the hour following sunset, with a second, smaller peak at sunrise. Temperatures ranging from 11° to 34° C and wind speeds to 20 kph were extreme conditions under which flight occurred, although most flights were recorded during periods with a more narrow temperature range (20° – 22° C) and on calm nights. B. styliferus preferred the lower temperatures and later evening flight which is characteristic of an early season colonizer. H. triangularis demonstrated both a thermal dependence in relation to flight and a broader time of flight activity, possibly due to its size and range.

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