2023 Volume 65 Pages 28-34
The golden apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, a type of large freshwater snail, is a serious pest that feeds on young rice seedlings. Recently, a trap with a mixed bait (a mixture containing rice bran, carp pellets, and rice malt in a 1:1:1 ratio) has been used to control this species. However, the bait attracts not only P. canaliculata but also other aquatic organisms. Therefore, there are concerns regarding the negative effects on the survival of other aquatic organisms. To clarify the effects of a mixed bait on the attraction and survival of various aquatic organisms, we used traps with mixed baits for P. canaliculata to examine the aquatic organisms trapped in the paddy fields and canals of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Moreover, based on the species collected by the traps, we selected seven species and conducted trials to compare their survival rates with and without baits in the paddy fields. Six fish species, three snail species, nine coleopteran species, and three tadpole species were collected using the trap. In the outdoor testing, there was no significant difference in the survival rates obtained with and without the bait in Oryzias latipes (Temminck & Schlegel), Sinotaia quadrata histrica (Gould), some coleopteran species, or tadpoles during the study period. These results indicate that although the bait attracts various aquatic organisms, it exerts a minor negative effect on the survival rates of the tested species.
