Winter Insect Light-Trapping at the Archbold Biological Station, Florida

Abstract

The following discussion pertains to nightly periods when insects came to lights in the greatest numbers. The time of starting the traps was set, somewhat arbitrarily, at 6. P.M., with the belief that the, earliest visitors would not appear before that time. However, when traps were operated from November 10 to 16th between 5:30 and 6 P.M., certain insects, especially the Staphylinidae and Trichopterygidae, were taken in significant numbers. No counts were made of the Trichopterygidae but observations revealed that they came decidedly before 6 P.M., usually within a few minutes and sometimes in enormous numbers striking against the baffles of the trap like buckshot.