Sampling Syrphidae using Malaise and Nzi traps on Akimiski Island, Nunavut.

Flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a diverse group of pollinators found almost worldwide. Species surveys of these flies provide unique challenges as they can be difficult to collect due to different trapping biases. Here, we test the efficacy of the Nzi trap for use in the collection of syrphids...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vezsenyi, Kathryn Anne, Skevington, Jeffrey, Moran, Kevin, Young, Andrew, Locke, Michelle, Schaefer, James, Beresford, David
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Entomological Society of Ontario 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/eso/article/view/5013
Description
Summary:Flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a diverse group of pollinators found almost worldwide. Species surveys of these flies provide unique challenges as they can be difficult to collect due to different trapping biases. Here, we test the efficacy of the Nzi trap for use in the collection of syrphids by comparing the richness and abundance of syrphids caught in a Malaise trap and Nzi trap, July, 2012-2017 on Akimiski Island, Nunavut. We found that the Nzi trap caught many of the same species and in similar abundances as the Malaise trap, except for Platycheirus kelloggi (Snow), of which more were caught in the Nzi than the Malaise. The high capture rate of P. kelloggi using Nzi traps could be due to the flies’ unique shelter- or mate-seeking behaviours related to structure or colour. Using collections from 2008-2017, we also provide new territory records for 55 species and range extensions for 19 species. Two of these, Platycheirus kelloggi and Platycheirus latitarsis Vockeroth, had previously been reported only west of the Rocky Mountains.