No effect of a fluorophore taggant on western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus roaming and flight behavior.

The liquid fluorescent material SmartWater® has recently been reported as an effective external mark for arthropods. In this study, we examined the behavioral effects of the SmartWater marker on Lygus hesperus (Knight) (Hemiptera: Miridae). Specifically, we quantified the roaming and flight characteristics of unmarked, water-marked, and SmartWatermarked specimens. The results showed no significant differences in L. hesperus roaming and flight speeds, distances, and durations between the marking treatments. The results reported here and from previous research show the SmartWater product has enormous potential for mark-release-recapture type research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]