Terrestrial Arthropods of Edwards Air Force Base, 1996-1998

A terrestrial arthropod survey was performed at 32 sites on Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) from January 1996 through October 1998. Additional species found during a 1994 through 1998 butterfly survey have been added to the list. Survey methods involved sweeping of blooming and nonblooming vegetation,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pratt, Gordon
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ARACHNIDA
BIOGEOGRAPHY
Biology
COLEOPTERA
DESERTS
DIPTERA
Ecology
Environmental Health and Safety
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
HEMIPTERA
HIERARCHIES
HYMENOPTERA
LEPIDOPTERA
MOJAVE DESERT
ORTHOPTERA
SURVEYS
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Summary:A terrestrial arthropod survey was performed at 32 sites on Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) from January 1996 through October 1998. Additional species found during a 1994 through 1998 butterfly survey have been added to the list. Survey methods involved sweeping of blooming and nonblooming vegetation, searching for arthropods beneath rocks, logs, and other objects, searching for diurnal and nocturnal crawling, flying, and calling arthropods (by hearing), collecting nocturnal arthropods drawn to a mercury vapor light, and those arthropods that have fallen into piffall traps. From this study, over 15,000 arthropods representing 1,536 species were pinned or preserved in alcohol, labeled, and curated into the collection. During this study period, over 930, 770, and 400 species were collected in 1996, 1997, and 1998, respectively. In 1997 and 1998, over 300 and 100 new species, respectively, were added to this study of the EAFB. Of these species, approximately 96 percent were insects and over 80 percent belonged to the four major insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. An additional 14 percent belonged to the next four major insect orders: Orthoptera, Homoptera, Hemiptera, and Neuroptera. At least three new species of Gryllacrididae and one new Scarabaeidae have been found. There are probably many other unrecognized species. There have also been many range extensions found by this survey. For example, of the four Cicindela species collected, two were major range extensions for their species.