Biodiversity of Insects found in the Grassland and Woodlot of York University

Pan traps were set on September 30th, 2014, at the grassland east of Stong pond and in the Saywell woodlot, as a mechanism of collecting and classfiying insects. This experiment occurred from 3:30 to 5:30, when it was partly cloudy and the temperature was approximately 18°C. This trap involved the use of different coloured bowls that are to attract a greater variety of insects. In this investigation blue, yellow, and white containers were used. 3 sets of 3 bowls were placed 5 meters apart along a transect, each set consisting of the three different colours. These containers were half filled with soapy water, the soap was added to break the surface tension of the water, to prevent any insects from escaping. The pan trap were placed in the beginning of the lab in places and the data was collected near the end of the time allotted. The insects captured during this time frame were then distinguished based on varying physical characteristics and through the use of an identification key.