Trapping of Lepidoptera
Automatic traps in Guadeloupe (Sphingidae, Arctiidae, Notodontidae and Noctuidae)
Automatic light traps were set up in Guadeloupe from January 1983 to December 1985.
The traps ("Ellisco traps"), used 4 actinic fluorescent tubes powered by a car battery.
Trapping was generally performed once a month (three times a month in Devarieux), during one night.
The 4 trapping sites are shown as blue circles on the map:
- Devarieux, near Saint-François in Grande Terre (xerophilic zone on calcareous ground).
- Piton de Sainte-Rose (alt. 357 m), mesophilic forest, close to hygrophilic forest and
xerophilic forest on volcanic ground (Leeward coast).
- Route forestière de Grosse Montagne (alt. 280 m), behind the INRA station at Duclos, Petit Bourg
(limit between hygrophilic and mesophilic forest).
- Morne à Louis (alt 743 m) below the TV station in a hygrophilic forest zone.
Frequencies
The histograms indicate the mean of monthly catches, cumulated over all 4 trapping sites during 3 years.
The numbers shown next to the 4 blue sites on the map correspond to the mean number of catches per trapping night.
They provide data on relative abundance between sites, but do not indicate actual abundance,
because the efficiency of light traps may vary between species.
Other catches
Other catches are shown as crosses on the maps and correspond to occasional catches.
Discharge lamps (mercury vapour lamps) were generally used and street lights were used in built up areas.
These catches often deal with uncommon species and neglect common species,
they thus provide qualitative data only.
The red crosses indicate our own catches, and the green crosses correspond to data from the
literature or personal communications.
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