Research Note: Effect of Intermittent and Continuous Photoperiods on Fly Populations

Abstract

Six rooms, identical and environmentally controlled, and each housing 14 caged turkey breeder hens, were exposed to light schedules to provide continuous and intermittent photoperiods of 14, 12, and 10 h as follows: 1) 14 h, continuous; 2) 14 h, intermittent; 3) 12 h, continuous; 4) 12 h, intermittent; 5) 10 h, continuous; and 6) 10 h, intermittent. Observations were made regarding: 1) the number of flies on feeders, in jug traps, on sticky fly tapes for 24 h, and sticky fly tapes for 1 h; 2) fly spots on paper sheets and fly spots on hanging cords. There were significantly (P less than .05) fewer fly per spot observations under intermittent lighting for all quantification methods except the jug traps.