Insect Population via Pan trap

This experiment was conducted on Tuesday September 29 2015 in the Danby Woodlot and the Danby Grassland at York University Keele Campus from 3:00pm-5:15pm, with group members Houra, Alexandera and Kathy. The weather was approximately 21°C with cloudy skies, and light to moderate rain fall. Houra and I, were assigned the <strong>pan trap dataset</strong> by the instruction of the TA. The purpose of the pan trap experiment was to collect field data in order to estimate the abundance and diversity of, but not limited to, flying insects. This experiment required us to fill 9 solo bowls (instead of 10) with soapy water and place them in the woodlot, and the same repeated for the grassland. The bowls were arranged in groups of three, giving a total of 3 groups in each location. Each group of bowls consisted of three different colors; yellow, blue and white. When all the lab groups had set up and filled their bowls, the time was noted (3:20pm) and the bowls were left alone for an hour in order for bugs to get trapped the bowl. In the meantime we helped our group members collect their field data. After one hour (4:20pm) the bowls were collected and observed. The total insect count, number of RTU's, Type of RTU, and bowl color was noted for each bowl by looking at the mixture in the bowl from above, giving a total of 18 bowls. After the observation was complete, the soapy water containing the insects was poured onto the ground and the bowls were collected and taken back to the lab. Within the woodlot and grasslands, the group of bowls were placed in various locations, which may have affected the number, and type of insects collected. In the woodlot, group 1 was placed under a tree, group 2-beside a log, and group 3-in the open, on top of some leaves. In the grasslands, group 4 was set next to a common plantain, group 5 -in the grass where no plants near it an group 6- under a tree. It was concluded that not many insects were collected through the pan trap because of the rainy weather conditions, since they were probably sheltering from the rain. The small time frame could have also caused not many bugs to get traped.