Pitfall traps

A pitfall trap is a trap-type used for ground dwelling, mobile organisms, such as invertebrates and small vertebrates.

A pitfall trap is a container submerged in the ground in the area under investigation. It is used to investigate the presence of small animals in an area. If the trap is placed in the path of an animal, it may fall into the trap for later recording.

When choosing how long to leave pitfall trap out for, consider what organisms the study is aimed at, are the organisms active during daylight hours or nocturnal, do they move around all the time or only every few hours? Are there a lot of animals in the area or is the density low?

It is important to check on the trap frequently in order to avoid any unintentional casualties. A higher density of organisms means the trap needs checking more frequently.

If the pitfall trap is placed on a path frequented by many organisms, such as an ant path, more organisms will obviously be caught, but the sampling will have a higher impact on the population. Try to avoid changing the environment and ecosystems when sampling biodiversity if at all possible. Aim for minimal impact on the local fauna, especially in areas with endangered species.