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Methods
Two large black terylene netting flight interception traps (2.4metre
long; 1 metre high), a black Malaise trap, and a limited number of
pitfall traps were used to sample invertebrates in Cwm Merddog
woodland. Moss and fungus samples were collected on 3rd December for
extraction using Winkler extractors.
The Malaise trap was situated just outside the southern end of the
fenced exclusion zone. The flight interception traps were placed
within the exclusion zone in the vicinity of fallen timber. The
Pitfall traps were placed close to the interception traps.
The Malaise Trap was run continuously from 26th June to 3rd December
2008. The flight interception traps were run continuously from 26th
June to 8th August 2008. The pitfall traps were run from 26th June
to 31st July 2008.
Results
Coleoptera, Collembola, some Diptera families, Diplopoda, Arachnida,
and Isopoda from the samples were identified to species. All
material was identified by staff of the National Museum Wales,
Cardiff: Coleoptera (B. Levey); Diptera (A. Plant); other groups (J.
Carter). A list of
species and comments is given in the associated spreadsheet.
182 species were recorded. Of these 11 were Notable species (nine
Coleoptera, one Diptera and one Opilones). 26 of the 94 species of
Coleoptera collected and seven of the Notable species are saproxylic
species (i.e. species which depend for part of their life cycle on
dead or dying wood, timber associated fungi or other organisms
associated with dead wood).
One species of Coleoptera and one species of Diptera have not
previously been recorded from Wales, and a number of other species
have not previously been recorded from S. Wales or are known from
very few welsh records.
The relatively high proportion of Coleoptera and Notable species
belonging to the saproxylic guilds, indicates the importance of the
old trees and dead wood at the site.
The saproxylic Coleoptera do not include any of the more fastidious
species and indicates that the site is only of local, not national
significance in terms of its saproxylic interest. However given the
relatively high altitude of the site, its western position in
Britain, and lack of very large old trees containing rot hollows,
one would not expect most of the fastidious species to be present.
B. Levey.
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