A review of extensive variation in the design of pitfall traps and a proposal for a standard pitfall trap design for monitoring ground‐active arthropod biodiversity

Abstract In arable agroecosystems, arthropod communities often have a reduced abundance and diversity, which represents a challenge for sampling techniques needed to detect small differences among these simplified communities. We evaluated the suitability of pitfall traps for comparing the effects of cropping systems on arthropod communities. In a field experiment, we compared the effects of two pitfall trap diameters, the type of preserving fluid and the sampling effort on three metrics (activity density, taxonomic richness, and community weighted mean [CWM] of body size) for carabids and spiders. Trap size affected the observed composition of communities, with large traps yielding a higher proportion of spiders, and a higher richness and CWM body size for both taxa. The type of preserving fluid had a weaker effect. Simulations with various sampling efforts showed that only very different communities could be distinguished with less than 10 traps per field or less than 30 field replicates. Fewer traps were required to find differences between cropping systems for body size than for other metrics. Carabid activity density and body size, and spider genus richness, were the variables better distinguishing between cropping systems with the smallest sampling effort. A high sampling effort was required for comparing activity density and richness across cropping systems. Selection of the most appropriate trap design, metrics, and crops are the main factors for optimizing the trade-off between sampling effort and the ability to detect arthropod community responses to habitat management.

Download Full-text

Pitfall trap designs to maximize invertebrate captures and minimize captures of nontarget vertebrates

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/n04-029 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 137 (2) ◽

pp. 233-250 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

J.L. Pearce ◽

D. Schuurman ◽

K.N. Barber ◽

M. Larrivée ◽

L.A. Venier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Small Mammal ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Carabid Beetle ◽

Carabid Beetles ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Shallow Trap ◽

Trap Design ◽

Mesh Screen ◽

Funnel Trap ◽

Incidental Catch

AbstractPitfall traps containing a preservative have become the standard method of sampling for epigeal invertebrates such as carabid beetles and cursorial spiders. However, they often result in high levels of mortality for small mammals and amphibians. We compared the carabid, spider, and vertebrate captures within five pitfall trap types (conventional trap, funnel trap, shallow trap, Nordlander trap, and the ramp trap) to determine the trap type that would reduce vertebrate incidental catch without compromising the capture of invertebrates. We also examined the effect of a mesh screen over pitfall traps on carabid beetle and vertebrate catches. All modifications to the conventional trap design resulted in a reduction in both small mammal and amphibian captures. The shallow pitfall trap and the funnel trap captured a carabid beetle and spider fauna similar to that captured by the conventional trap. The species compositions of the ramp trap and the Nordlander trap were different from those of the other trap types, but these traps were more efficient, capturing more species per individual captured. The ramp trap appeared to be the method of choice for sampling epigeal spiders. Thus, the choice among trap designs for invertebrates depends on the objectives of the study. However, an alternative to the conventional trap design should always be considered to reduce small mammal mortality.

Download Full-text

It’s a matter of design—how pitfall trap design affects trap samples and possible predictions

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.5078 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e5078 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Fabian A. Boetzl ◽

Elena Ries ◽

Gudrun Schneider ◽

Jochen Krauss

Keyword(s):

Type A ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Simple Type ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Small Species ◽

Arthropod Communities ◽

Trap Design ◽

Biodiversity Inventories

Background Pitfall traps are commonly used to assess ground dwelling arthropod communities. The effects of different pitfall trap designs on the trapping outcome are poorly investigated however they might affect conclusions drawn from pitfall trap data greatly. Methods We tested four pitfall trap types which have been used in previous studies for their effectiveness: a simple type, a faster exchangeable type with an extended plastic rim plate and two types with guidance barriers (V- and X-shaped). About 20 traps were active for 10 weeks and emptied biweekly resulting in 100 trap samples. Results Pitfall traps with guidance barriers were up to five times more effective than simple pitfall traps and trap samples resulted in more similar assemblage approximations. Pitfall traps with extended plastic rim plates did not only perform poorly but also resulted in distinct carabid assemblages with less individuals of small species and a larger variation. Discussion Due to the obvious trait filtering and resulting altered assemblages, we suggest not to use pitfall traps with extended plastic rim plates. In comprehensive biodiversity inventories, a smaller number of pitfall traps with guidance barriers and a larger number of spatial replicates is of advantage, while due to comparability reasons, the use of simple pitfall traps will be recommended in most other cases.

Download Full-text

Effect of pitfall trap depth on epigaeic beetle sampling (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Staphylinidae) in wet forested ecosites in Alberta, Canada

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/tce.2018.34 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 150 (6) ◽

pp. 813-820

Author(s):

H.E. James Hammond ◽

David W. Langor ◽

Dustin J. Hartley

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Trap Depth ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Organic Soil ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Forest Stands ◽

Soil Layers ◽

Deep Traps

AbstractThe depth at which pitfall traps were sunk into the ground and the resulting catches of epigaeic Carabidae (Coleoptera) and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) assemblages in subhygric to hydric ecosites with very deep organic soil layers was investigated in the upper foothills ecoregion of Alberta, Canada. Traps were installed at seven sites, with six surface traps (the pitfall trap lip <5 cm below soil surface) and six deep traps (the pitfall trap lip >20 cm below soil surface) at each site. A total of 5289 beetles representing 75 taxa were collected. There were no significant effects of trap depth on catch. Rarefaction estimates of species diversity were higher in surface pitfall traps for both taxa. The similarity of pooled catches between deep and surface traps was on average 75%, suggesting that both trap types were collecting similar faunas. We found no advantage to using deep pitfall traps in addition to surface traps to sample the epigaeic fauna of wet forest stands and peatlands.

Download Full-text

Responses of Red Flour Beetle Adults, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), and Other Stored Product Beetles to Different Pheromone Trap Designs

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11110733 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 733

Author(s):

Carl W. Doud ◽

Thomas W. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Tribolium Castaneum ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Pheromone Trap ◽

Sticky Trap ◽

Red Flour Beetle ◽

Blow Down ◽

Trap Design ◽

Baited Traps ◽

Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

A series of laboratory and field experiments were performed to assess the responses of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and other stored-product beetles to pheromone-baited traps and trap components. A commercial Tribolium pitfall trap called the Flit-Trak M2, the predecessor to the Dome trap, was superior in both laboratory and field experiments over the other floor trap designs assessed at capturing walking T. castaneum. In field experiments, Typhaea stercorea (L.) and Ahasverus advena (Stephens) both preferred a sticky trap to the pitfall trap. Although the covered trap is effective at capturing several other species of stored product beetles, the synthetic Tribolium aggregation pheromone lure is critical for the pitfall trap’s efficacy for T. castaneum. Although the food-based trapping oil used in the pitfall trap was not found to be attractive to T. castaneum when assayed alone, it had value as an enhancer of the pheromone bait when the two were used together in the trap. A dust cover modification made to go over the pitfall trap was effective in protecting the trap from dust, although the trap was still vulnerable to dust contamination from sanitation techniques that used compressed air to blow down the mill floors. Capture of T. castaneum in the modified trap performed as well as the standard trap design in a non-dusty area of a flour mill, and was significantly superior over the standard trap in a dusty area. T. castaneum responded in flight outside a flourmill preferentially to multiple funnel traps with pheromone lures compared to traps without pheromone.

Download Full-text

Optimized Pitfall Trap Design for Collecting Terrestrial Insects (Arthropoda: Insecta) in Biodiversity Studies

Neotropical Entomology ◽

10.1007/s13744-018-0613-8 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 50-56

Author(s):

V Costa-Silva ◽

M D Grella ◽

P J Thyssen

Keyword(s):

Pitfall Trap ◽

Trap Design ◽

Terrestrial Insects

Download Full-text

Peranan Semut di Ekosistem Transformasi Hutan Hujan Tropis Dataran Rendah

Jurnal Ilmu Kehutanan ◽

10.22146/jik.57459 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 16

Author(s):

Noor Farikhah Haneda ◽

Nisfi Yuniar

Keyword(s):

Tropical Rainforest ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Rubber Plantation ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Army Ants ◽

Purposive Sampling ◽

Jungle Rubber ◽

Sampling Plot

Deforestasi atau perubahan fungsi dari hutan menjadi non-hutan berperan dalam perubahan ekosistem dan spesies di dalamnya. Serangga sebagai salah satu fauna di dalamnya merupakan aspek yang menarik untuk dikaji khususnya semut. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengidentifikasi peranan-peranan dari genus semut yang ditemukan di ekosistem transformasi. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Desa Bungku, Kecamatan Bajubang, Kabupaten Batanghari, Provinsi Jambi. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah membuat plot pengamatan secara purposive sampling. Plot pengamatan dipasang di empat eksosistem hutan dengan jumlah masing - masing ekosistem sebanyak empat plot. Setiap plot memiliki lima sub plot yang tersebar di empat eksosistem hutan untuk pemasangan pitfall trap. Teknik pengambilan sampel semut menggunakan pitfall trap di empat ekosistem. Empat ekosistem tersebut yaitu hutan sekunder, perkebunan kelapa sawit, kebun karet, dan hutan karet. Hasil penelitian ditemukan sebanyak 33 genus dari 6 subfamili. Selanjutnya dari 33 genus dikelompokkan berdasarkan peranannya. Berdasarkan peranannya terdapat 46% pencari makan , 36% predator, 3% semut tentara, 3% pemakan bangkai, dan 3% lainnya (semut pemanen/pemetik, omnivora, predator, dan pemakan bangkai). Camponotus sebagai genus dominan memiliki peranan pencari makan, dan Pheidole mempunyai peranan sebagai penghancur biji dan sebagian lainnya adalah omnivora. The Role of Ants in Lowland Tropical Rainforest TransformationAbstractDeforestation or changes functions from forest to non-forest play a role in changing ecosystems and the species within them. Insect as one of the fauna is an interesting aspect to study, especially ants. Aims of this study is to identify the roles of the genus of ants that found in the transformation ecosystem. This study was conducted in Bungku Village, Bajubang District, Batanghari Regency, Jambi. Method used in this study is to make a plot of observation by purposive sampling. Ant sampling techniques use pitfall traps in four ecosystems i.e.. secondary forest, oil palm plantation,rubber plantation, and jungle rubber. This study found 33 genera from 6 subfamilies. Furthermore, 33 genera are grouped based on their roles, i.e. (1) 46% foragers, (2) 36% for predators, (3) 3% for army ants, (4) 3% for scavengers, and (5) 3% for others (harvesting ants, omnivores, predators and scavengers too). Camponotus as the dominant genus has a role for foragers, and Pheidole has a role as a seed destroyer and the other part is omnivorous.

Download Full-text

Batch extraction of morphological and color metrics from invertebrate samples. v1

10.17504/protocols.io.byt4pwqw ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michael D Weiser ◽

Katie E. Marshall ◽

Cameron D. Siler ◽

Michael Kaspari

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

North America ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Ground Beetles ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Batch Extraction ◽

Continental Scale ◽

Color Data ◽

By Catch

This protocol is the complete methods used to extract abundance, morphology and color data from samples of invertebrates. We developed this protocol specifically to measure invertebrate by-catch from pitfall traps collected by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), but these methods could be extended to any invertebrate samples. These methods were used in the publications: Blair, J.,M.D. Weiser, M. Kaspari, M.J. Miller, C. Siler and K. Marshall. 2020. Robust and simplified machine learning identification of pitfall trap-collected ground beetles at the continental scale. Ecology and Evolution 10(23): 13143-13153. DOI:10.1002/ece3.6905. Weiser, M.D., K.E. Marshall, M.J. Miller, C.D. Siler, S.N. Smith & M. Kaspari. in review at Oikos (October 2021). Robust metagenomic evidence that local assemblage richness increases with latitude in ground-active invertebrates of North America.

Download Full-text

Optimising design and effort for environmental surveys using dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/tce.2016.48 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 149 (2) ◽

pp. 214-226 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Claudia Tocco ◽

Danielle E.A. Quinn ◽

John M. Midgley ◽

Martin H. Villet

Keyword(s):

Sampling Method ◽

Ground Level ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Dung Beetles ◽

Sampling Effort ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Trap Design ◽

Sampling Protocols ◽

By Catch

AbstractIn biological monitoring, deploying an effective standardised quantitative sampling method, optimised by trap design and sampling effort, is an essential consideration. To exemplify this using dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae) communities, three pitfall trap designs (un-baited (TN), baited at ground level (flat trap, TF), and baited above the trap (hanging trap, TH)), employed with varying levels of sampling effort (number of traps=1, 2, 3 … 10; number of days=1, 2, 3), were evaluated for sampling completeness and efficiency in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Modelling and resampling simulation approaches were used to suggest optimal sampling protocols across environmentally diverse sites. Overall, TF recovered the greatest abundance and species richness of dung beetles, but behavioural guilds showed conflicting trends: endocoprids preferred TH while paracoprids and telocoprids preferred TF. Resampling simulation of trap type and the two components of sampling effort suggested that six TF traps left for three days was most efficient in obtaining a representative sample and allowed differentiation between trap types, allowing the improved efficiency to be recognised. The effect of trap type on non-target specimens, particularly ants, was also investigated. TF and TH caught almost no by-catch, which is ethically desirable.

Download Full-text

Influence of shade covers on pitfall trap temperatures and capture success of reptiles and small mammals in arid Australia

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr98032 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 341 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Trevor J. Hobbs ◽

Craig D. James

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Solar Radiation ◽

Small Mammals ◽

Pitfall Trap ◽

Pitfall Traps ◽

Capture Success ◽

Arid Landscapes ◽

Cover Design ◽

Related Mortality ◽

Trap Mortality

Shade covers for pitfall traps can be used to reduce the amount of solar radiation penetrating to the bottom of pitfall buckets, thereby reducing the number of captured animals dying from heat-stress. We tested the effectiveness of a variety of shade covers for reducing temperatures in pitfalls and trap mortality of small vertebrates, and examined the effect of one cover design on trap success in arid landscapes. Shade covers made of insulation foil were found to reduce core pitfall temperatures by 20–22˚C compared with uncovered buckets, which reached temperatures greater than 66ºC. Other cover types tested (plastic lid or cardboard) were found to be less effective: core bucket temperatures still reached 48–53ºC. While foil covers do reduce temperatures and therefore the probability of heat-stress-related mortality, above-ground foil covers also influence trap success. Traps with above-ground foil covers caught 39–43% fewer small vertebrates and 7–42% fewer species than uncovered traps. Above-ground foil covers had the greatest influence on the sampled abundance of scincid lizards (reduced by 50–52%), reduced the sampled abundance of most other lizard families and mammals, but increased capture success for snakes. If shade covers are required to minimise heat stress and mortality in pitfall buckets we recommend foil covers placed inside the bottom pitfall buckets as they significantly reduce pitfall temperatures and are likely to have minimal influence on trap success. However, regular checking of traps is still one of the most reliable ways to reduce heat-stress- related and other deaths in pitfall traps.

Download Full-text