Methyl salicylate as an attractant for the dance fly Rhamphomyia gibba (Fallén) (Diptera, Empididae)

Abstract

Field tests conducted in Leningrad Province of Russia showed methyl salicylate to be highly attractive to the dance fly Rhamphomyia (Amydroneura) gibba (Fallén, 1816) (Diptera, Empidoidea, Empididae). Yellow sticky traps baited with methyl salicylate caught similar numbers of males and females, although males somewhat prevailed at the beginning of the flight while females were slightly more numerous at its end. Rhamphomyia gibba is the first species of the family Empididae for which an attractant chemical is known, and methyl salicylate is the only attractant currently known for Empididae.