Flight-intercept trap Wisconsin, USA Size: ~6 feet tall
Flight-intercept traps are very effective for collecting insects. I have collected a large number of species in FITs that I would normally never have encountered.
This style consists of some plastic sheeting strung between two angle-iron fence posts. The collection troughs are garden planters available at most home-improvement stores. The troughs are partly filled with preservative (a propylene-glycol and water mixture). The troughs are secured (from tippage) by impaling sticks into the ground around them.
I have usually let the traps go for 2-3 weeks before servicing them. When servicing an FIT, I usually take a large pail, some hardware cloth, a sifter, some very fine screening (very small holes) and a container. I put the hardware cloth on top of the open end of the bucket. I put the sifter on top of the hardware cloth and put the screening into the sifter. I remove garbage (plant material, etc.) from the troughs and discard. I pick out the large specimens with forceps and put them into the container. I then proceed to pour the FIT trough contents extremely slowly through the screening in the sifter so as to avoid damage to the collected specimens. When I am done, I plop the screening (with all the strained specimens) into my container and add a little of the preservative.
FITs are especially effective if placed near fallen trees or in natural flyways.
Contributed by Jeff Gruber on 9 December, 2007 - 6:21pm Last updated 10 October, 2008 - 9:50am |