Cooperation:
Jitka Vilímová (Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, CZ)
Aims:
We study the intraspecific variation in bed bug daily rhythms, with respect to synchronization with host behavior. We combine three complementary approaches: a) comparing the patterns of daily activity of two bed bug lineages, each connected with a host exhibiting different daily rhythm (bats, humans), b) manipulating with the activity patterns by food availability timing in both host lineages, and c) testing the heritability (maternal effect) of the induced changes in behaviour.
Methods
Infrared time lapse photography of arenas, Ethowatcher, tests of the feeding success in different day periods.
Video – ethowatcher input. Frame = IR picture taken every 5 minutes for a period of one week; altogether around 2 050 pictures. Changes in the position of the bed bug were recorded in Ethowatcher software.