Ground-dwelling Insects Research Articles

Trophic structure of ground-dwelling insects in the coastal zone of a salt lake in southern Siberia based on the data of isotopic analysis

The trophic structure of a ground-dwelling insect community has been studied in the coastal zone of a salt lake in the southern forest-steppe (Novosibirsk oblast). Five contrasting habitats along a 170-m catena with an altitude drop of 1.8 m were studied. In each habitat, the soil, as well as dominant insect and plant species, were sampled: phytophages, saprophages, and predators. According to a stable-isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N), phytophagous insects (the locust Epachromius pulverilentus and carabid beetle Dicheirotrichus desertus) are closely connected to their food objects and hardly migrated along the catena. Saprophages (the mole cricket Gryllotalpa unispina and earwig Labidura riparia) use various food resources; some of them (mole crickets) tend to migrate between the biotopes. Predatory beetles (carabid imagoes) can be separated into three trophic guilds: (1) highly mobile active predators, including the tiger beetles Cephalota chiloleuca and C. elegans; (2) small generalist predators of Pogonini tribe (Pogonus cumanus, P. transfuga, Pogonistes rufoaeneus, and Cardiaderus chloroticus); and (3) relatively large consumers of soil saprophages and aquatic organisms (Curtonotus propinquus and Cymindis equestris). The trophic niche overlap of different predators is partially compensated by their confinement to different habitats.

Tree species influences diversity of ground-dwelling insects in afforested fields

Impaired natural ecosystems, such as agricultural lands, are restored toward original or other target stage. Because the long agricultural history has changed the physical, chemical and biological features of the soil, afforested fields can harbor novel species assemblages and interactions. Our overall aim was to quantify the diversity of ground beetles and ants in early successional afforested fields. In a large scale field experiment, we compared plots that had been afforested 25years ago by planting monocultures of birch, pine or spruce trees. A total of 4080 carabid individuals representing 41 species, and 131,933 ant individuals representing 15 species were recorded. Both the carabid and ant assemblage included forest and open-habitat species, but were dominated by generalists, which is typical for early successional habitats. Tree species had a strong influence on carabid and ant assemblages. Species composition among pine plots was more homogeneous than among spruce or birch plots. The diversity of ground beetles and ants increased from pine to spruce to birch plots, most likely due to positive influence of leaf litter. Our results indicate that early successional afforested fields can harbor species rich arthropod assemblages. The diversity and species composition of these assemblages are influenced by tree species, already at early successional stages, and are likely to become more prominent as succession proceeds. Thus, the tree species used in afforestation is one important factor for consideration, if field afforestation has biodiversity objectives.

Rhamnus cathartica (Rosales: Rhamnaceae) Invasion Reduces Ground-Dwelling Insect Abundance and Diversity in Northeast Iowa Forests.

European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica L.) is an invasive woody shrub in deciduous forests of the Upper Midwest. Studies have suggested buckthorn invasion has negative effects on native plants, soil, and ecosystems, but its impacts on insects are largely unstudied. To test the impact of buckthorn invasion on ground-dwelling insects in forests of northeastern Iowa, pitfall traps were used to sample ground-dwelling insects at five sites four different periods from June to August 2013. Each site had three treatments: areas heavily infested with buckthorn, areas where buckthorn has not established, and areas where buckthorn had been removed within the past 2-10 yr. Most insects were identified to family and quantified; while ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were identified to species and quantified. In total, 11,576 insects representing eight orders and 46 families were collected. Areas uninvaded by buckthorn had significantly greater insect abundance and taxonomic richness than areas invaded by buckthorn. Of the 948 ground beetles representing 40 species, abundance, species richness, and Shannon diversity indices were significantly lower in areas invaded by buckthorn compared with areas with no buckthorn. The 2,661 ants from 24 species had similar trends, but treatment differences were not significant because of high variability. These results clearly show a negative impact of buckthorn invasion on the abundance and taxonomic richness of ground-dwelling insects.

Effects of Deer Grazing on Vegetation and Ground-Dwelling Insects in a Larch Forest in Okutama, Western Tokyo

Sika deer (Cervus nippon) have experienced a rapid increase in the Japanese archipelago. Although the effects of deer grazing have been widely studied, the indirect effects have received little attention. Using an eight-year-old deer exclosure in western Tokyo (Japan), we studied the direct effects on plants and the indirect effects on insects and microenvironments. Plant biomass was 14 times higher inside the exclosure than outside. Shrubs (e.g.,Aralia elataandHydrangea paniculata) and trees (e.g.,Symplocos sawafutagiandClethra barbinervis) were more abundant inside, whereas only unpalatable trees in poor condition grew outside (e.g.,Pterostyrax hispidaandCynanchum caudatum). In the summer months, the maximum temperature was 8–10°C higher outside the exclosure and humidity was lower. Soil movement was 80 times more pronounced outside than inside. These results suggest that the abiotic environment became less stable for ground-dwelling insects. Carabid beetles were less abundant outside than inside, suggesting that deer grazing reduced plants and subsequently lowered habitat quality for these beetles. In contrast, carrion beetles, dung beetles, and camel crickets were more abundant outside. The increase in these insects is attributed to the availability of deer feces and carcasses and is a direct effect of deer presence.

If You Go Down to the Soak Today: Symbolism and Structure in an Arandic Children’s Story

In an Aboriginal children’s story from Central Australia, small creatures such as dragon lizards and ground-dwelling insect larvae known as ant lions convey rich symbolic meanings. This article analyzes the story, song, and graphic schema of a story that reinforces the dangers of being alone and the unpredictable incarnations of malevolent characters. By comparing versions in several Arandic languages, we elucidate the network of social and cultural meanings of the story and the poetic and artistic devices used to express them. We suggest that formalized children’s “play” routines such as this story perform an important role in socialization in Arandic society.

The Role of Small Woodland Remnants on Ground Dwelling Insect Conservation in Chaco Serrano, Central Argentina

Many terrestrial ecosystems are changing due to extensive land use and habitat fragmentation, posing a major threat to biodiversity. In this study, the effects of patch size, isolation, and edge/interior localization on the ground dwelling insect communities in the Chaco Serrano woodland remnants in central Argentina were examined. Sampling was carried out in December 2003 and March 2004 in nine remnants (0.57 to 1000 hectares) using pitfall traps. In total, 7071 individuals representing 12 orders and 79 families were recorded. The taxonomic composition of these communities was linked to remnant size. Insect abundance increased (as did their richness, albeit marginally) as remnant area decreased, with no significant effects of isolation or edge/interior localization on abundance, richness, or diversity. No differential area effects were observed when abundance and richness of predators, scavengers, and herbivores were compared. Thus, ground insect communities in fragmented Chaco Serrano seem to respond mainly to patch level, rather than to within-patch (edge effects) or landscape (isolation) level variables. These results suggest that small Chaco Serrano remnants, by supporting larger ground-dwelling insect assemblages, may play an important role from a conservation viewpoint.

Does sika deer overabundance exert cascading effects on the raccoon dog population?

Habitat structure in Oku-Nikko, Japan, has been substantially modified by the overabundance of sika deer (Cervus nippon). A deer-proof fence (15.0 km and 900 ha) was constructed in 2001 to conserve vegetation. Although the understory inside the fence is dominated by Sasa nipponica (hereafter, Sasa), an important forage plant for deer, that outside the fence is dominated by Aster ageratoides leiophyllus (hereafter, Aster), an unpalatable plant to deer, and, partly, by bare floor. In this study, we examined the effects of deer on ground-dwelling insects and earthworms, the primary food resources of raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and, thus, the bottom-up cascading effects of the herbivore on the omnivorous carnivore. Between July and September 2008, we examined the abundance of insects and earthworms by pitfall trapping and hand-sorting methods, respectively, both inside and outside the fence. The abundance of earthworms and insects (Scarabaeidae and Rhaphidophoridae) was higher on forest floors with Aster and/or bare floors outside the fence than on those with Sasa inside the fence. These results indicate that the increasing deer population in this area probably increased the number of these invertebrates outside the fence by modifying understory vegetation and/or depositing dung. Furthermore, the sighting rates of raccoon dogs obtained by spotlight counts were greater outside than inside the fence, suggesting that deer probably exert bottom-up cascading effects on raccoon dogs, at least during May to November, when the invertebrates are predominantly fed on by the omnivorous carnivore.

Loss of genetic diversity and increased genetic structuring in response to forest area reduction in a ground dwelling insect: a case study of the flightless carabid beetle Carabus problematicus (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Abstract Old growth temperate broadleaved forests are characterised by a large proportion of forest specialists with low dispersal capability. Hence, species bound to this habitat are expected to be highly susceptible to the effects of decreasing patch size and increasing isolation. Here, we investigate the relative effect of both factors by genotyping individuals of a flightless and forest specialist beetle Carabus problematicus from 29 populations, sampled in 21 different forest fragments in Belgium, at eight microsatellite loci. A high degree of genetic differentiation among fragments was observed, with populations from smaller forests being considerably more differentiated and characterised by a lower genetic diversity compared to those of larger forests. A more detailed study on forest remnants of a former historic continuous woodland area revealed that population differentiation was high among, but not within remnants, irrespective of geographical distance. This suggests that patch fragmentation rather than geographical distance is the ultimate factor that hampers gene flow in this species. The results indicate that gene flow among suitable habitat patches is primarily reduced by the inability of this specialised species to traverse the landscape matrix. This lack of dispersal may pose a serious threat for the persistence of C. problematicus and ecologically similar species, and suggests that present populations can best be protected by securing or increasing the size of existing habitat patches.

Can early thinning and pruning lessen the impact of pine plantations on beetle and ant diversity in the Patagonian steppe?

Pine plantations are thought to negatively impact species diversity and to irreversibly modify arid zones. However, some studies have suggested that through the application of appropriate management practices, the negative impacts of plantations may be reduced. Our aim was to study the effects of early pruning and thinning on the ground-dwelling insects found in pine tree plantations in Patagonia. We compared the abundance, species richness and composition of the beetle and ant assemblages within 16-year-old pine stands (n = 10) subjected to early pruning and thinning (i.e. before canopy closure) against a steppe habitat exposed to sheep grazing (‘control’, n = 10). To sample ground-dwelling insects, we deployed nine pitfall traps per plot (100 m2) for a 10-day period. Vegetation cover and plant species richness were significantly lower in the plantations than in the steppe. We found that beetle species richness was reduced in the managed plantations in comparison to the steppe but abundance was higher. In turn, species composition in the plantations was different from that of the controls. Ant species richness was similar among habitats but abundance was lower in the plantations. We conclude that, contrary to our expectations, management practices that lead to sparse plantations at early stages in the production cycle, do not offer a significant advantage in terms of reducing the impact of pines on ground-dwelling insects of Patagonia.

Visual Reliability and Information Rate in the Retina of a Nocturnal Bee

Nocturnal animals relying on vision typically have eyes that are optically and morphologically adapted for both increased sensitivity and greater information capacity in dim light. Here, we investigate whether adaptations for increased sensitivity also are found in their photoreceptors by using closely related and fast-flying nocturnal and diurnal bees as model animals. The nocturnal bee Megalopta genalis is capable of foraging and homing by using visually discriminated landmarks at starlight intensities. Megalopta's near relative, Lasioglossum leucozonium, performs these tasks only in bright sunshine. By recording intracellular responses to Gaussian white-noise stimuli, we show that photoreceptors in Megalopta actually code less information at most light levels than those in Lasioglossum. However, as in several other nocturnal arthropods, Megalopta's photoreceptors possess a much greater gain of transduction, indicating that nocturnal photoreceptors trade information capacity for sensitivity. By sacrificing photoreceptor signal-to-noise ratio and information capacity in dim light for an increased gain and, thus, an increased sensitivity, this strategy can benefit nocturnal insects that use neural summation to improve visual reliability at night.

Electrophysiological identification of the sugar cell in antennal taste sensilla of the predatory ground beetle Pterostichus aethiops

By single sensillum tip recording technique, in addition to the salt and pH cells found in antennal taste sensilla of some ground beetles earlier, the third chemosensory cell of four innervating these large sensilla was electrophysiologically identified as a sugar cell in the ground beetle Pterostichus aethiops. This cell generated action potentials of considerably smaller amplitude than those of the salt and pH cells, and phasic-tonically responded to sucrose and glucose over the range of 1–1000 mM tested. Responses were concentration dependent, with sucrose generating more spikes than glucose. During the first second of the response, maximum rates of firing of the sugar cell reached up to 19 and 37 imp/s when stimulated with 1000 mM glucose and sucrose, respectively. Three to four seconds later, the responses decreased close to zero. Both sugars are important in plant carbohydrate metabolism. These ground dwelling insects may come into contact with live and decayed plant material everywhere in their habitat including their preferred overwintering sites in brown-rot decayed wood. In conclusion, we hypothesize that high content of soluble sugars in their overwintering sites and refugia is unfavourable for these ground beetles, most probably to avoid contact with dangerous fungi.

Chlorpyrifos residue levels in avian food items following applications of a commercial EC formulation to alfalfa and citrus.

Two 10-day field residue studies were conducted to measure the amount of chlorpyrifos residue found in typical avian food following applications of a commercial 480 g liter(-1) EC (Lorsban 4E) at 1.1 kg AI ha(-1) (1 lb AI acre(-1)) to alfalfa and at 2.3 kg Al ha(-1) (2.0 lb AI acre(-1)) to citrus. Avian food items used in these studies included: crickets (Acheta domestica (L)), earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris L), darkling ground beetle larvae (Tenebrio molitor L), seed heads (Triticum sp), and naturally occurring flying and ground-dwelling insects. The studies incorporated a design involving three main study plots placed within larger treated areas of an alfalfa crop and a mature orange grove. The three main study plots represented three replications and each contained four sub-plots. One sub-plot, on each study plot, was sampled on day 0 (2-h post-application), day 1, day 5 and day 10 post-application. Chlorpyrifos residues were present in all avian food sampled following the application; however, residue levels were lower than estimated residue values typically used by the US EPA to establish expected environmental concentration (EEC) used in screening assessments of risk to terrestrial wildlife.

Reduction of riparian arthropod abundance and diversity as a consequence of giant reed ( Arundo donax ) invasion

The non-indigenous perennial grass, Arundo donax, is an aggressive invader of riparian areas throughout California and many sub-tropical regions of the world, and is hypothesized to provide poorer quality habitat for native wildlife in riparian systems. We sampled aerial and ground-dwelling insects and other terrestrial arthropods associated with Arundo, native willow vegetation (Salix spp.), and mixtures of the two vegetation types during two seasons to determine how Arundo influences invertebrate composition in a low gradient stream in central California. The total number of organisms, total biomass and taxonomic richness of aerial invertebrates associated with native vegetation was approximately twice that associated with Arundo vegetation, while mixed vegetation supported intermediate arthropod levels. Shannon-Weaver (Weiner) diversity associated with native vegetation stands was also higher than that of Arundo vegetation. Ground-dwelling assemblages did not show differences as great as aerial assemblages which are more critical to foraging avian species. These results indicate that vegetation type is a significant factor reducing the abundance and diversity of invertebrates in this, and presumably in many other riparian ecosystems where this invasive species has become a dominant component. Arundo invasion changes the vegetation structure of riparian zones and in turn, may increasingly jeopardize its habitat value for birds and other wildlife whose diets are largely composed of insects found in native riparian vegetation.

Flightlessness in psammophilous beetles inhabiting a Mediterranean coastal area: ecological and biogeographical implications

Biogeographia vol. XXI/I - 2002 (Pubblicato il 1” ottobre 2002) Biogeografia degli ambienti costieri Flightlessness in psarnmophilous beetles inhabiting a Mediterranean coastal area: ecological and biogeographical implications GIUSEPPE M. CARPANETO*, SIMONE FATTORINI** *Dz;z2artimem‘0 a'z' Biologia, Uniz/errita alegli Stadi “Roma Tre’: Vials Marconi 446 — 1300146 Roma (Italy) **Dz']1artz'mmta ali Biologia Animale e dell’Uom0 (Z00[ogia), Universita di Roma qLa Sapienza ”, Vials cle[[’Uaz'ver5z'tz‘z 32 — I—00]85 Roma (Italy) Key words: Coleoptera, aptery, beetle community, sand dunes, Central Italy SUMMARY Many psammophilous beeles are known to be wingless ground dwellers, and flightlessness has been frequently regarded as an adaptation to arid environments. Also, as Hightlessness reduces dispersal ability, flightless species should have reduced ranges compared with those of winged species. The aim of this W0l‘l( was to study (1) the incidence of flightlessness in the psammophilous beetles living in a Mediterranean beach-dune system, and (2) possible relationships between distribution patterns and wing conditions. The study was based on the beetle fauna living on the beach—dune system of the Circeo National Park (Central Italy, Tyrrhenian coast). To obtain a complete faunal inventory of the true psarnmophilic beetles, monthly samplings were performed by sieving a fixed volume of sand and detritus. A total of 26 strictly psammophilous species, belonging to 10 beetle families were recorded. As a whole, 10 species were apterous, 5 brachypterous and 1 1 macropterous. If apterous and brachypterous species are computed together as flightless species, we found a total of 15 flightless species 67.69%) versus 11 macropterous species (42.31%). In accordance with the geographical location of the study area and the thermophilic preferences of many species, most of the species have distribution patterns restricted to Mediterranean or South European areas, only two being more widely distributed. As to the size of their ranges, 12 (-46.15%) species showed restricted distributions (i.e. types of distribution restricted to the western or the eastern sector of the Mediterranean basin), while 14 63.35%) were widely distributed. As a whole, a relationship can be observed between flightlessness and species ranges. Most (83.33%) of the species with reduced ranges are flightless. By contrast, flightless species represent 35.71% of the widely distributed species. A number of factors and circumstances can be evoked to explain the occurrence of flightlessness in the study community. Dune habitats are distributed so that a ground dwelling insect can move from one patch to another by walking and burrowing, a condition that can favour flightlessness. As coastal dunes have scarce trophic sources, loss of flight could allow to conserve energy that can be allocated to other functions. Due to their high winds, coastal dunes require a great amount of energy for flight. Shoreline strands are clearly isolated habitats, with unfriendly and isolating habitats on each side, favouring non—dispersing individuals. Finally, a high incidence of flightlessness in some beetles can be due to their burrowing lifestyle and detritivorous habits. As a whole, flightless species show more restricted ranges compared with winged species. Thus, even if many littoral beetles are known to be capable of swift movement on the ground, Hightlessness probably plays an important role in determining a reduced dispersal ability, which, in turn, affects species distributions.

Experimental effects of habitat fragmentation on rove beetles and ants: patch area or edge?

The effects of habitat fragmentation may include the loss of species from isolated fragments or changes in species abundances among habitats that differ in area, structure, or edge characteristics. We measured the species richness and abundance of ground‐dwelling insects in a 1.14‐ha old field that was mowed to produce patches of unmowed vegetation which differed in size, degree of isolation, and the amount of habitat edge. Four treatments – ranging from unfragmented (169‐m2) to highly fragmented (1‐m2) patches – were replicated four times in a Latin square design, and insects were sampled twice during 1995 using 177 pitfall traps. Species richness showed a non‐monotonic response to fragmentation, with the fewest species occurring in the slightly fragmented treatment. Responses of rove beetles and ants, the most species‐rich and abundant taxa, respectively, were similar to the overall insect community but ants had a stronger and more consistent treatment effect in both sample months. Ordinations of ant and rove‐beetle assemblages using nonmetric multidimensional scaling showed that the slightly fragmented treatment differed from other treatments in species occurrence and abundance. The lower species richness in the slightly fragmented treatment was primarily due to a subset of ant and rove beetle species that showed a lower abundance than in other treatments, possibly because this treatment had the greatest amount of habitat edge. We hypothesize that the non‐monotonic species response to fragmentation was due to the differential effects of habitat edge on species movements across the habitat boundary between unmowed patches and mowed areas. A greater effect due to the amount of habitat edge rather than total patch area, at least among the range of patch sizes studied, suggests that the length of habitat edge may be quite important to the distribution and abundance of ground‐dwelling animals in fragmented habitats.

Environmental impact of the locust control agents fenitrothion, fenitrothion–esfenvalerate and triflumuron on terrestrial arthropods in Madagascar

The field toxicity of three chemical locust control agents to terrestrial non-target arthropods was investigated in small- and large-scale field trails in the recession area of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria capito (Sauss.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), in Southwestern Madagascar. The insecticides were applied as full cover sprays on 16 ha (1994) and 400 ha (1995) plots, respectively. The relative abundance of more than 40 arthropod taxa (combined 1994 and 1995 trials) was monitored during 4 weeks before and at least 12 weeks after treatment. The organophosphate fenitrothion (F, 1994) caused significant medium to long-term population declines of >75% in several epigeal non-target insect taxa (springtails, ants, Zophosis madagascariensis Deyrolle (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)) and was classified as a high risk product. Non-target grasshoppers were reduced by about 50–60%. Springtail relative abundance returned to pre-spray levels in the following season. Significant effects of the organophosphate–pyrethroid combination fenitrothion–esfenvalerate (FE, 1995) were usually <75% (medium risk). However, springtails responded as sensitive to this product as to fenitrothion, and there were no indications of recovery over the 12 week post-treatment observation period. The insect growth regulator (IGR) triflumuron (TFM, 1994 and 1995) posed a low risk to ground-dwelling insects except for orthopterans (crickets and grasshoppers) and caterpillars which were significantly reduced for several weeks (moderate risk). Vegetation dwelling and flying insects were moderately affected by FE. Non-target butterfly densities increased towards the end of the trial which appeared to be related to a significant reduction in hymenopteran predators and parasitoids. TFM had a marked effect on butterflies (>60%), but was harmless to the other insects. Spiders responded less sensitively to pesticide stress than insects, but orb web spiders were significantly reduced by fenitrothion-esfenvalerate. The breakdown of organic matter was not affected by any of the insecticides. The results suggest the following relative field toxicity ranking: TFM<FE<F. However, such a ranking system does not imply that the least hazardous product is the safest in all environmental settings. This study rather supports an integrated approach, where control strategies are adapted to the particular conservation priorities in the treated areas.

STINGING INSECT HYPERSENSITIVITY: A PRACTICE PARAMETER

STINGING INSECT HYPERSENSITIVITY: A PRACTICE PARAMETER

The effects of logging and grazing on the insect community associated with a semi-arid chaco forest in central Argentina

The ground-dwelling insect community associated with semi-arid chaco forest in the Chancanı́ Natural Park and Forest Reserve (Córdoba, central Argentina) was studied from pitfall trap collections. The taxonomic composition and functional structure of the community present in the natural climax forest was compared with that of a degraded forest (shrubland) resulting from heavy logging and grazing. The studied communities differed significantly in taxonomic composition, sharing less than half of the insect families and less than a third of the Coleoptera species. The shift in dominant families within the Coleoptera reflected the habitat changes imposed by disturbance, mainly the scarcity of litter and presence of cattle dung in the shrubland. Such effects were also reflected in changes in the relative size of insect feeding guilds within the two habitats, scavengers being remarkably under-represented in the shrubland. Given the key role of scavenging insects as decomposers in arid systems, this observation could have profound implications for the functioning of this habitat type.

Indirect effects of mammalian browsers on vegetation and ground-dwelling insects in an Alaskan floodplain

Several studies in recent years have shown that large mammalian herbivores can have a substantial effect on boreal forest vegetation and soil dynamics. We studied the potential indirect effects of moose and snowshoe hare browsing on ground-living Orthoptera and Coleoptera and herb-layer vegetation in seven long-term exclosures and adjacent browsed plots. Insect and plant assemblages of exclosures and browsed plots differed from each other. Higher biomass of mosses, grass, and forbs characterized browsed plots, whereas Equisetum spp. and Pyrola asarifolia were more common in unbrowsed plots. Insect abundance was generally higher in browsed plots. Curculionidae was the only insect family that tended to be more abundant inside the exclosures. An enhanced food supply, in the form of feces and carrion of mammalian herbivores, and the direct and indirect effects of browsing on tree species composition, field-layer vegetation, litter, and microclimate are the probable causes of differences in the studied insect assemblages.

A seed trap for monitoring the seed rain in terrestrial communities

Monitoring the seed rain of a species, population, or community is important to quantify that component of life history that follows anthesis yet precedes establishment in the seed bank or as a seedling. I have developed a unique seed trap that is ideal for monitoring the seed rain of a grassland community. The trap consists of a 10-cm diameter funnel attached by Velcro to one end of a 15-cm long PVC pipe. The trap is sunk into the ground with 1.5–2 cm protruding above the soil surface to prevent soil and ground-dwelling insects from entering the trap. A small cotton bag is attached to the stem of the funnel and acts as the reservoir for trapped seeds. I was able to trap propagules ranging in size from 0.5-mm seeds (Juncus interior) to &gt; 2 cm long awned spikelets (Andropogon gerardii). Because this trap minimizes prédation, is easy to construct and monitor, and is inexpensive, it is superior to traps used by previous researchers. Key words: seed trap, seed rain, sampling methodology.