Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Optimising coloured pan traps to survey flower visiting insects

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Journal of Insect Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Colour is an important attractant for many flower-visiting insects (anthophiles). Consequently, coloured pan trapping is an efficient technique that can be easily and cost-effectively used to quantitatively sample assemblages of anthophiles. However, colour preferences of anthophiles is an important source of bias that needs to be considered in pan trap surveys. By drawing sub samples comprised of different colour combinations from a database of pan trap surveys in the lowlands of the Cape Floristic Region, we examine the effects of colour on pan trap catches and determine which combinations of colours might provide better estimates of diversity when sampling with multi-colour sets of pan traps. Pan trap catches included the major groups of anthophiles in the region (Coleoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera), but butterflies (Lepidoptera) were strongly under-represented. Colour played an important role in determining the species richness and composition of pan trap catches, with colour sets that included high reflectance yellow and white generally having catches with the highest species richness. While all colour combinations provided reasonable estimates of proportional species richness, proportional abundance of taxa varied among different colour sets, and did not accurately reflect actual proportions of different taxa in the entire dataset. For comparative biodiversity surveys and assessments we recommend the use of high reflectance colours such as white and yellow traps, while for full inventory surveys, it may be necessary to include other colours to catch rarer species that are excluded by the high reflectance colours alone.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali MA (1993) Influence of trap colors and placement on captures of the Hairy Rose Beetle, Tropinota squalida Scop. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Insect Sci Appl 14:215–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderbrant O, Löfqvist J, Jönsson J, Marling E (1989) Effects of pheromone trap type position and colour on the catch of the pine sawfly Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.) (Hym., Diprionidae). J Appl Entomol 107:365–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basset Y, Mavoungou JF, Mikissa JB, Missa O, Miller SE, Kitching RL, Alonso A (2004) Discriminatory power of different arthropod data sets for the biological monitoring of anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests. Biodivers Conserv 13:709–732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boiteau G (1990) Effect of trap color and size on relative efficiency of water-pan traps for sampling alate aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) on potato. J Econ Entomol 83:937–942

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray JR, Curtis JT (1957) An ordination of the upland forest communities of Southern Wisconsin. Ecol Monogr 27:325–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broadbent L (1948) Aphis migration and the efficiency of the trapping method. Ann Appl Biol 35:379–394

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brødsgaard HF (1989) Coloured sticky traps for Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in glasshouses. J Appl Entomol 107:136–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JW, Hanula JL (2007) Efficiency of Malaise traps and colored pan traps for collecting flower visiting insects from three forested ecosystems. J Insect Conserv 11:399–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cane JH, Minckley RL, Kervin LJ (2000) Sampling bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) for pollinator community studies: pitfalls of pan-trapping. J Kansas Entomol Soc 73:225–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Capinera JL, Walmsley MR (1978) Visual responses of some sugarbeet insects to sticky traps and water pan traps of various colors. J Econ Entomol 71:926–927

    Google Scholar 

  • Cho K, Eckel CS, Walgenbach JF, Kennedy GG (2011) Comparison of colored sticky traps for monitoring thrips populations (Thysanoptera; Thripidae) in staked tomato fields. J Entomol Sci 30:176–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Chu CC, Pinter PJ, Henneberry TJ, Umeda K, Natwick ET, Wei YA, Reddy VR, Shrepatis M (2000) Use of CC traps with different trap base colors for silverleaf whiteflies (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae), thrips (Thysanoptera : Thripidae), and leafhoppers (Homoptera : Cicadellidae). J Econ Entomol 93:1329–1337

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke KR, Warwick RM (2001) Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. 2nd edn. PRIMER-E Ltd, Plymouth

    Google Scholar 

  • Colwell RK (2009) EstimateS: Statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Version 8.0. University of Conneticut, Storrs, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Cottrell CB (1985) The absence of coevolutionary associations with Capensis floral element plants in the larval/plant relationships of southwestern Cape butterflies. In: Vrba ES (ed) Species and speciation. Transvaal Museum, South Africa, pp 115–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Dafni A, Kevan PG, Husband BC (2005) Practical pollination biology. Enviroquest, Ontario

    Google Scholar 

  • Entwistle PF (1963) Some evidence for a colour sensitive phase in the flight period of Scolytidae and Platypodidae. Entomol Exp Appl 6:143–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finch S, Skinner G (1974) Some factors affecting the efficiency of water-traps for capturing cabbage root flies. Ann Appl Biol 77:213–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giurfa M, Vorobyev M, Kevan P, Menzel R (1996) Detection of coloured stimuli by honeybees: minimum visual angles and receptor specific contrasts. J Comp Physiol A 178:699–709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gotelli NJ, Colwell RK (2001) Quantifying biodiversity: procedures and pitfalls in the measurement and comparison of species richness. Ecol Lett 4:379–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goulson D, Cory JS (1993) Flower Constancy and learning in foraging preferences of the green-veined white butterfly Pieris napi. Ecol Entomol 18:315–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingham DS, Samways MJ, Govender P (1998) Monitoring the brown wattle mirid, Lygidolon laevigatum Reuter (Hemiptera : Miridae). Afr Entomol 6:111–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson SD, Midgley JF (2001) Pollination by monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae : Hopliini): do color and dark centers of flowers influence alighting behavior? Environ Entomol 30:861–868

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones FC (2008) Taxonomic sufficiency: the influence of taxonomic resolution on freshwater bioassessments using benthic macroinvertebrates. Environ Rev 16:45–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kevan PG (1983) Floral colors through the insect eye: what they are and what they mean. In: Jones CE, Little RJ (eds) Handbook of experimental pollination biology. Scientific and Academic Editions, New York, pp 3–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Kevan PG, Backhaus WGK (1998) Color vision: ecology and evolution in making the best of the photic environment. In: Backhaus W, Kliegl R, Werner JS (eds) Color vision : perspectives from different disciplines. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Kevan PG, Chittka L, Dyer AG (2001) Limits to the salience of ultraviolet: lessons from colour vision in bees and birds. J Exp Biol 204:2571–2580

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kotze DJ, Samways MJ (1999) Support for the multi-taxa approach in biodiversity assessment, as shown by epigaeic invertebrates in an Afromontane forest archipelago. J Insect Conserv 3:125–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kremen C, Merenlender AM, Murphy DD (1994) Ecological monitoring: a vital need for integrated conservation and development programs in the tropics. Conserv Biol 8:388–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laubertie EA, Wratten SD, Sedcole JR (2006) The role of odour and visual cues in the pan-trap catching of hoverflies (Diptera : Syrphidae). Ann Appl Biol 148:173–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawton JH, Bignell DE, Bolton B, Bloemers GF, Eggleton P, Hammond PM, Hodda M, Holt RD, Larsen TB, Mawdsley NA, Stork NE, Srivastava DS, Watt AD (1998) Biodiversity inventories, indicator taxa and effects of habitat modification in tropical forest. Nature 391:72–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lehrer M, Bischof S (1995) Detection of model flowers by honeybees: the role of chromatic and achromatic contrast. Naturwissenschaften 82:145–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leong JM, Thorp RW (1999) Colour-coded sampling: the pan trap colour preferences of oligolectic and nonoligolectic bees associated with a vernal pool plant. Ecol Entomol 24:329–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattoni R, Longcore T, Novotny V (2000) Arthropod monitoring for fine-scale habitat analysis: a case study of the El Segundo sand dunes. Environ Manage 25:445–452

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCall C, Primack RB (1992) Influence of flower characteristics, weather, time of day, and season on insect visitation rates in three plant-communities. Am J Bot 79:434–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Missa O, Basset Y, Alonso A, Miller S, Curletti G, Meyer M, Eardley C, Mansell M, Wagner T (2009) Monitoring arthropods in a tropical landscape: relative effects of sampling methods and habitat types on trap catches. J Insect Conserv 13:103–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ne’eman G, Kevan PG (2001) The effect of shape parameters on maximal detection distance of model targets by honeybee workers. J Comp Physiol A 187:653–660

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Niesenbaum RA, Patselas MG, Weiner SD (1999) Does flower color change in Aster vimineus cue pollinators? Am Midl Nat 141:59–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver I, Beattie AJ (1996) Invertebrate morphospecies as surrogates for species: a case study. Conserv Biol 10:99–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Picker MD, Midgley JJ (1996) Pollination by monkey beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Hopliini): flower and colour preferences. Afr Entomol 4:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Primer-E Ltd (2002) PRIMER 5. Version 5.2.9. Primer-E Ltd, Plymouth

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryke JS, Samways MJ (2011) Importance of using many taxa and having adequate controls for monitoring impacts of fire for arthropod conservation. J Insect Conserv doi: 10.1007/s10841-011-9404-9

  • Pucci T (2008) A comparison of the parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera) at elevated versus ground yellow pan traps in a beech-maple forest. J Hymenopt Res 17:116–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Riley DG, Schuster DJ (1994) Pepper weevil adult response to colored sticky traps in pepper fields. Southwest Entomol 19:93–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Samways MJ, McGeoch MA, New TR (2010) Insect conservation: a handbook of approaches and methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Southwood TRE, Henderson PA (2000) Ecological methods, 3rd edn. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephen WP, Rao S (2005) Unscented color traps for non-Apis bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes). J Kansas Entomol Soc 78:373–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toler TR, Evans EW, Tepedino VJ (2005) Pan-trapping for bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) in Utah’s West Desert: the importance of color diversity. Pan-Pac Entomol 81:103–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuell JK, Isaacs R (2009) Elevated pan traps to monitor bees in flowering crop canopies. Entomol Exp Appl 131:93–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Kleunen M, Nanni I, Donaldson JS, Manning JC (2007) The role of beetle marks and flower colour on visitation by monkey beetles (Hopliini) in the greater Cape Floral Region, South Africa. Ann Bot 100:1483–1489

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss MR (1995) Floral color-change : a widespread functional convergence. Am J Bot 82:167–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss MR, Lamont BB (1997) Floral color change and insect pollination: a dynamic relationship. Isr J Plant Sci 45:185–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Wells W, Decker T (2006) A comparison of three types of insect traps for collecting non-formicidae hymenopera on the island of Dominica. Southwest Entomol 31:59–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Wertlen AM, Niggebrugge C, Vorobyev M, de Ibarra NH (2008) Detection of patches of coloured discs by bees. J Exp Biol 211:2101–2104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Westphal C, Bommarco R, Carre G, Lamborn E, Morison N, Petanidou T, Potts SG, Roberts SPM, Szentgyorgyi H, Tscheulin T, Vaissiere BE, Woyciechowski M, Biesmeijer JC, Kunin WE, Settele J, Steffan-Dewenter I (2008) Measuring bee diversity in different European habitats and biogeographical regions. Ecol Monogr 78:653–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams NM, Minckley RL, Silveira FA (2001) Variation in native bee faunas and its implications for detecting community changes. Conserv Ecol 5:7

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson JS, Griswold T, Messinger OJ (2008) Sampling bee communities (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) in a desert landscape: are pan traps sufficient? J Kansas Entomol Soc 81:288–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the BIOTA Africa project, with additional funding from the National Research Foundation of South Africa, and Stellenbosch University. The work would not have been possible without kind permission of landowners and managers who allowed access to work on their land at Elandsberg Nature Reserve, Cordoba Wine Estate, Vergelegen Estate, Porcupine Hills, HottentotsHolland Nature Reserve and Helderberg Nature Reserve. Gayle Pedersen kindly assisted in the field with pan trap surveys.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sven M. Vrdoljak.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 159 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vrdoljak, S.M., Samways, M.J. Optimising coloured pan traps to survey flower visiting insects. J Insect Conserv 16, 345–354 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-011-9420-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-011-9420-9

Keywords

Navigation