Modular, field-ready Malaise trap for efficient insect sampling
This Townes-style ez-Malaise trap is a modular flight-intercept device for passive insect sampling. A central intercept panel directs flying insects (e.g., Diptera, Hymenoptera) upward into a collection bottle without bait. Shock-corded poles enable rapid deployment at sites without trees. Major components are replaceable for long-term monitoring and short-term, relocatable surveys.
Detailed Description
A Malaise trap uses a vertical panel to intercept flying insects; blocked insects move upward toward light and are guided into a collection bottle. In routine surveys, the trap functions both as ecological monitoring equipment and as a general tool for collecting aerial arthropods. Because the method is unbaited, catch rates depend on placement, making ease of deployment critical for standardized sampling designs.
Building on this principle, the ez-Malaise trap maintains the traditional Townes-style design while incorporating field-friendly innovations, making it a reliable and effective tool for sampling flying insects (e.g., Diptera, Hymenoptera).
The inverted Y-shaped collection head of the ez-Malaise trap is molded from solid polycarbonate (PC) for UV resistance and high transparency, providing unobstructed light cues. Ventilation ports (closed by default) allow optional airflow; in some studies, increased airflow improved catch efficiency. A removable moth excluder with 1 × 1 cm grid spacing limits larger insects (e.g., Lepidoptera), helping to reduce wing-scale contamination. Seat the head on the frame so the pole bears the weight rather than the fabric.
Removable Moth Excluder
Removable Moth Excluder
Collection Head Placement
Collection Head Placement
Functional Advantages
- Townes-style design: Proven intercept geometry with a central intercept panel directing insects upward to the collection bottle.
- Collection head: Solid polycarbonate (PC) for durability and transparency; ventilation ports (closed by default) allow optional airflow; removable moth excluder with 1 × 1 cm grid spacing reduces entry of large insects and wing-scale contamination.
- Rapid setup: Shock-corded poles and clip-on assembly enable quick deployment without trees or external supports.
- Replaceable parts: Modular components minimize downtime and support extended field programs.
- Versatility: Suitable for both long-term ecological monitoring and relocatable short-term surveys.
Field Notes
- Placement: Position along trails, forest edges, or stream corridors, with the intercept panel perpendicular to insect flight paths and approach kept clear.
- Collection head: At the tall end, rest the inverted Y-shaped head on the frame so the pole carries its weight, not the fabric. Keep upright, tie securely, and recheck after re-tensioning or when bottles are full.
- Servicing: Replace or empty bottles regularly (e.g., weekly), adjusting for weather and catch volume. Re-tension guy ropes after wind or heavy catch to maintain panel shape.
- Preservative & labels: Use ethanol or propylene glycol as appropriate. Label with trap ID, date/time, and preservative used.
- Hot/dry sites: Provide modest shade to reduce preservative evaporation; top up to prevent desiccation.
- Multiple traps: Space 50–150 m apart to reduce spatial dependence. Record trap-days and covariates such as weather, vegetation, and edge distance.
- Orientation & canopy studies: For flight-direction tests use the dual-head ez-Migration trap. For canopy or multi-layer sampling use the SLAM trap, which can be freestanding, suspended, or daisy-chained.
ℹ︎Disclaimer: Field Notes provide practical guidance and examples. Actual procedures should be adapted to site conditions, study objectives, and institutional protocols. Users are responsible for safe deployment and compliance with local regulations.
Pack Contents
- 1 × Fabric Trap Body
- 1 × Shock-corded Pole (L309 cm)
- 1 × Shock-corded Pole (L459 cm)
- 1 × Collection Head (pre-installed)
- 3 × Collection Bottles (1 pre-installed)
Alternative options
Nalgene™ 2105-0016 wide-mouth bottles (Ø53 mm closure size; not available from this site) are compatible with the supplied bottles.
- 9 × Guy Ropes
- 9 × Plastic X-Stakes
- 8 × Alloy Pin Stakes
- 1 × Carrying Bag
Additional replacement parts are listed under the Parts tab.
Recent Literature Related to This Product Line (click to search more) ↗︎
- The Hemiptera (Insecta) of Canada: Constructing a Reference Library of DNA Barcodes. Gwiazdowski et al. (2015). PLoS One, 10(4), e0125635.
- DNA barcoding in diverse educational settings: five case studies. Henter et al. (2016). Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, 371(1702), 20150340.
- The School Malaise Trap Program: coupling educational outreach with scientific discovery. Steinke et al. (2017). PLoS Biology, 15(4), e2001829.
- Arthropods in modern resins reveal if amber accurately recorded forest arthropod communities. Solórzano Kraemer et al. (2018). PNAS, 115(26), 6739–6744.
- Expedited assessment of terrestrial arthropod diversity by coupling Malaise traps with DNA barcoding. deWaard et al. (2019). Genome, 62(3), 85–95.
- Using DNA-barcoded Malaise trap samples to measure impact of a geothermal energy project on the biodiversity of a Costa Rican old-growth rain forest. Janzen et al. (2020). Genome, 63(9), 407–436.
- A Review of Terrestrial and Canopy Malaise Traps. Michael et al. (2021). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 114(1), 27–47.
- Peering into the Darkness: DNA Barcoding Reveals Surprisingly High Diversity of Unknown Species of Diptera (Insecta) in Germany. Chimeno et al. (2022). Insects, 13(1), 82.
- Optimizing insect metabarcoding using replicated mock communities. Iwaszkiewicz-Eggebrecht et al. (2023). Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 14(4), 1130–1146.
- Global arthropod beta-diversity is spatially and temporally structured by latitude. Seymour et al. (2024). Communications Biology, 7(1), 552.
