Bulletin of Entomological Research (1962) 53, 111-123

R.D. MacCuaig (1962)
The collection of spray droplets by flying locusts
Bulletin of Entomological Research 53 (1), 111-123
Abstract: An account is given of work carried out since that of Wootten and Sawyer (1954) on the pick-up of spray droplets by flying locusts. The same species, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk.), was used. The values given in their work for the amounts of spray collected were confirmed, but when observations were extended to cover smaller droplets (less than 50µ diameter), locusts were found to collect these much less efficiently.
Other factors affecting pick-up were sex (females collected more spray than males) and flying speed (faster-flying locusts tended to collect less spray per unit of distance flown). When the angle of approach of the droplets to the flying locusts was varied between 1 and 11° from the horizontal no difference in the pick-up of spray could be detected.
For droplets between 60- and 300-µ diameter, the dose of insecticide collected by the locusts is given by the formula 9xPC µg for males, and 11.5xPC for females, when the locusts fly through a concentration of spray of C ml per cu. m for a distance P m and the spray solution contains x percent. (w/v) of insecticide.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Schistocerca gregaria