A protocol for recording behavioral activity during longevity studies of adult Chironomidae

Abstract

A protocol for quantifying behaviors of adult Chironomidae during lab-based longevity studies is described and definitions of 12 behaviors are provided. Initial data for field-collected adults from on snow adjacent to three streams during winter, split into batches and incubated at three different temperature treatments, are summarized and show that frequencies of behaviors vary by stream and treatment. Implications of behaviors relative to reproductive fitness of adults is proposed, and changes to the protocol for use in future studies is described.

Keywords

• behavior
• Chironomidae
• Diamesa mendotae
• winter-emerging
• cold-adapted