Clip cages are used in laboratories for biology determination of insects. Can anyone please tell me the best way to find out the biology of small insects like wheat aphids in the field condition?
Hi Bilal,
It depends what you are looking to find out. You can use clip cages in the field, if you are just looking at short term aspect of their biology. If you are looking at things like abundance, then counting numbers/species/location/time is ideal but very time consuming. Water traps placed below the wheat canopy will give you an idea of overall numbers, and is much more time efficient, and will also collect natural enemies as well. All depends on what you want to find out and how much time you have.
Dear Mark Ramsden
Thank you very much for your answer. Actually I want to check pre-reproductive to post reproductive period of wheat aphid in the field.
If clip cages are used in the field, so what kind of clip cages are used which can easily use for about one month without the adverse effect of the environment.
Pl.read the materials and methods of the article attached. The yellow sticky trap was used. You can use any sticky material like, castor oil. Count randomly at 10 places in the trap using 1 X 1 inches cut space in acrylic sheet of 3x3 or 4x4 or any bigger size acrylic sheet .Take the average and multiply by the total exposed area of the yellow trap. I hope it may help you.
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