Hymenoptera flying over a boreal forest landscape

• Hymenoptera were collected in suction traps mounted on a TV-tower in an area of mixed coniferous woodland in western Sweden. Over 32 000 individuals were collected in four traps mounted at 2, 9,43 and 93 m above ground during the summer of 1980. Over 95% of the individuals belonged to Parasitica and only 4.2 and 0.2 % to Aculeata and Symphyta respectively. The height distribution of flying Hymenoptera as a whole is intermediate compared with other insect groups such as aphids, with high densities at high altitudes, and Lepidoptera which tend to fly closer to the ground. However, our study showed large differences between major groups of Hymenoptera. All Symphyta were confined to the lowest traps as were most Aculeata signifying a low tendency to high altitude migratory flight. The ants were an exception among the Aculeata with high numbers in the upper traps, indicative of long downwind flights high in the air. A large percentage (over 40%) of the flying population of Parasitica were found above the forest canopy indicating that many Parasitica regularly engage in long-distance flights high in the air.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Zoologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Zoology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biologisk systematik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biological Systematics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

zoologi

Zoology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)