A Lesson in Insect Sampling at a Beetle Blitz

Peters, Chuck

In this article ôA Lesson in Insect Sampling at a Beetle Blitzö (by Chuck Peters) the sampling techniques used at the beetle blitz are discussed in further detail from the prvious article. As well in this article a table is provided showing the collection method and the number of different species collected using that method; howver, no species specific data are provided in either article. The summary below is provided by a previous article in the same journal that also descirbed the sampling methods used. This summary comes from a one page document summarizing the event of the Schoodic Beetle Blitz 2005. 'The first Coleoptera Blitz for Acadia National Park was a rousing success thanks to the enthusiastic participants. This joint project between the Maine Entomological Society, National Park Service and the Maine Forest Service formally started at 3 pm Saturday, July 16, and ended at 3pm the following Sundayà.The Blitz planning committee did an outstanding job of working to eliminate the problems of the preceding Lepidoptera Blitz, and largely did soàMany different collecting techniques were utilized and the various habitats explored to maximize the species catch. Passive traps (relying on insect movement into the traps), such as flight intercept traps, barrier pitfall traps, malaise traps, yellow pan traps, and Lindgren funnel traps were placed at several sites in the parkàActive collecting (the collector expends the energy in collecting the insects) focused on the traditional beating and sweeping techniques, together with the always effective technique of ôjust looking around and under thingsö in various delimited habitats. UV lights were run at several sitesàAfter 24 hours of collecting, the next 24 hours were devoted to identificationà.Despite these limitations, 121 species in 24 families were identified as the blitz ended, with an additional 160 now sorted to morphospecies in 14 different families-a projected blitz total of 280 species in 37 families. A representative of each species will be housed with the Procter Collection at the William Otis-Sawtelle Collecitons and Research Center at the Headquarters of Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor and the remainder stored at the Maine Forest Service Insect and Disease Lab in Augusta.' /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /SCHOODIC PENINSULA/

A Lesson in Insect Sampling at a Beetle Blitz

Series