THE ORIENTATION BEHAVIOR OF HORSE FLIES AND DEER FLIES (TABANIDAE: DIPTERA): V. THE INFLUENCE OF THE NUMBER AND INCLINATION OF REFLECTING SURFACES ON ATTRACTIVENESS TO TABANIDS OF GLOSSY BLACK POLYHEDRA

Abstract

The orientation of tabanids to glossy black target figures of various geometrical forms was investigated. A maximum number of tabanids is attracted by a sphere and by the regular polyhedron that most closely approximates to the sphere in number of reflecting surfaces (icosahedron). The attractiveness of the other regular polyhedra increases with the number of sides, provided they are suspended so that the inclination of the faces causes sunlight to be reflected into the presumed flight lanes of approaching tabanids. These results were confirmed in experiments with pyramidal targets varying in number of sides and inclination of reflecting faces.