A comparison of different Malaise trap types

Recent reports on insect decline have highlighted the need for long-term data communities towards identifying their trends and drivers. With launch of many new monitoring schemes to investigate over large spatial temporal scales, Malaise traps become one most important tools due broad spectrum species collected reduced capture bias through passive sampling insects day night. However, can vary in size, shape, colour, it is unknown how these differences affect biomass, richness, composition trap catch, making difficult compare results between studies. We compared five types (three variations Townes two Bartak trap) determine effects biomass richness as identified by metabarcoding. Insect varied 20%–55%, not strictly following size but varying with type. Total was 20%–38% higher three models traps. captured lower highly mobile taxa increased ground-dwelling taxa. The white roofed a pollinators. find that total group specific are all sensitive Trap type should be carefully considered aligned match research questions. Additionally, our estimates used adjust facilitate comparisons across