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, 45 965 arthropods were collected in a Malaise trap. Arthropod numbers were higher in summer than in spring, autumn, or winter. Diptera (84.2%) dominated the sample, with Collembola 4.9%, Hymenoptera 4.0%, Coleoptera 2.3%, Lepidoptera 1.8%, Acari 1.0%; 17 other arthopod orders were represented in the remaining 1.8%. Malaise trap efficiency is compared with that of aerial traps. The efficacy of Malaise traps in collecting windblown arthropods in New Zealand lowland forest appears to be limited.