Seasonality of arthropods caught in a malaise trap in mixed lowland forest of the orongorongo Valley, New Zealand

Abstract

During 12 months of sampling in a mixed lowland broadleaf-podocarp forest, 45 965arthropods were collected in a Malaise trap.Arthropod numbers were higher in summer thanin spring, autumn, or winter. Diptera (84.2%) dominated the sample, with Collembola 4.9%, Hyme-noptera 4.0%, Coleoptera 2.3%, Lepidoptera 1.8%,Acari 1.0%; 17 other arthropod orders were represented in the remaining 1.8%. Malaise trap efficiency is compared with that of aerial traps. Theefficacy of Malaise traps in collecting windblownarthropods in New Zealand lowland forest appearsto be limited. © 1987 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.