Dual-headed design for flight direction studies

The ez-Migration trap—a two-headed Malaise trap—is a modular field-sampling tool that intercepts insects on both sides of a vertical barrier and directs them into separate collection bottles.  This design keeps opposing-direction samples separate for within-deployment analysis of orientation effects and supports studies of insect migration as well as local dispersal movements.

Detailed Description

Classical Malaise traps often exhibit directional asymmetry, with collection heads filling unevenly depending on sun position, wind direction, or insect flight path.  By placing a head at each end, the ez-Migration trap separates catches from opposing directions, making orientation effects explicit so they can be quantified and compared within the same deployment.  This separation improves the interpretability of insect movement patterns.

Assembly mirrors that of the ez-Malaise trap: shock-corded poles connect in minutes, clips attach the fabric, and stability requires a minimum of two guy ropes.  Its portability makes it suitable for both long-term monitoring and quick surveys.

Each collection head is molded from solid polycarbonate (PC) for durability and high transparency.  Ventilation ports—closed by default—allow optional airflow; some entomologists report that increased airflow can improve catch efficiency.  A removable moth excluder with a 1 × 1 cm grid is included to discourage larger insects (e.g., Lepidoptera, Odonata) and help reduce wing-scale contamination in samples.

Functional Advantages

• Orientation effects made explicit: Catches from opposing directions are kept separate, enabling within-deployment comparison of variation attributable to sun position, wind direction, and insect flight path.
• Collection heads (2 units): Solid polycarbonate (PC) with high transparency; ventilation ports (closed by default) for optional airflow; removable 1 × 1 cm moth excluder to limit larger insects (e.g., Lepidoptera, Odonata) and reduce wing-scale contamination.
• Modular system: Allows individual components (collection heads, fabric body, and shock-corded poles) to be replaced without swapping the entire trap, reducing downtime and extending service life.
• Quick assembly: Shock-corded poles and clip attachments enable rapid field setup.
• Portable structure: Nearly freestanding; requires a minimum of two guy ropes for stability in open landscapes.

Field Notes

• Placement: Position the central barrier across movement corridors (trails, forest edges, riparian strips); orient roughly perpendicular to expected insect flight paths.  Avoid tight vegetation that blocks airflow.
• Directional metadata: Label the two collection heads consistently (e.g., Head A/Head B or compass bearings) and record orientation at setup for directional comparisons.
• Sun and wind: Note sun position and wind direction at deployment and servicing.
• Stability: Nearly freestanding; stability in open landscapes requires a minimum of two guy ropes, with additional ropes recommended in windy conditions.
• Servicing: Service collection bottles on a regular schedule (e.g., weekly), adjusting for temperature and catch volume.  Keep the head hardware seated and free of debris.  Re-tension lines after strong wind or a heavy catch to maintain panel shape.
• Preservative & labels: Use a preservative suited to your workflow (e.g., ethanol for morphology/DNA).  Labels should include trap ID, head ID, date/time, preservative, and orientation notes.
• Multiple traps: Space units 50–150 m apart to reduce spatial dependence.  Record effort in trap-days and note covariates such as weather, vegetation structure, and edge distance.
• Relocation: For short-term surveys, reposition as needed to sample across habitat edges or along movement axes, logging coordinates and orientations each move.

ℹ️Disclaimer: 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
• 2 × Shock-corded Poles (L459 cm)
• 2 × Collection Heads (pre-installed)
• 6 × Collection Bottles (2 pre-installed)
• 10 × Guy Ropes
• 10 × Plastic X-Stakes
• 8 × Alloy Pin Stakes
• 1 × Carrying Bag

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 biodiversity.  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 High Diversity of Unknown Diptera 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 structured by latitude in space and time.  Seymour et al. (2024).  Communications Biology, 7(1), 552.