Abstract

Understanding basic natural history of insects is crucial to their conservation, especially as they face significant declines in the Anthropocene. Numerous gaps in our knowledge exist, including what time of the day insects are active. Flight intercept traps were run for one month, August through September, to sample insects active during the day and night, respectively, in a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.; Pinaceae) forest at the Jones Center at Ichauway, Baker County, Georgia, USA. We collected 1,549 beetle (Coleoptera) specimens representing 135 species within 41 families. Beetle species richness, beetle family richness, and arthropod biomass were all significantly higher during the night compared to the day. In contrast, beetle abundance was significantly higher during the day compared to night, due to the influence of two species, Conotelus obscurus Erichson, 1843 (Nitidulidae) and Cryptorhopalum floridanum Casey, 1916 (Dermestidae), which represented 19.2% and 13.9% of all beetles collected, respectively. We identified seven species and six families as indicators of either diurnal or nocturnal activity. We also report four beetle families and 77 beetle species not previously reported in the longleaf pine
ecosystem. These findings can help inform conservation and management decisions, especially in the context of climate change, light pollution, and habitat alteration.

Keywords

arthropods, biomass, diurnal, forest, nocturnal, saproxylic, species richness

Fulltext

It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night: Diel Beetle (Coleoptera) Activity in a Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.; Pinaceae) Woodland