SNH Invertebrate Site Condition Monitoring 2015-16: Methven Woods SSSI

Quality Control

We have a very high level of confidence in this dataset. The recorder and/or determiner is a highly experienced ecologist. Where necessary, rare specimens were compared against reference collections, those held in the National Museums Scotland collection and identities confirmed with experts.

Method steps

1. Surveys targeted the invertebrate assemblage feature of Methven Woods SSSI. Surveys for Diptera species were completed on 29 & 30/07/2015 using an aerial net attached to a 3-m long pole and with a gape of approximately 0.5 m in diameter. In order to gather a wide selection of woodland Diptera The survey area encompassed several microhabitats within the broadleaved woodland (NO052266) and included areas of hazel coppice, bluebells, wet woodland, bracken, felled trees and acid grassland were surveyed. Netted specimens were collected with a pooter for identification. Surveys for Coleoptera species were completed using a combination of bark traps, active searches and bugvac sampling. Active searches of deadwood habitats and bugvac sampling were undertaken on 29 & 30/07/ 2015. A single bark trap was set in ten locations across the site, in a range of arboreal microhabitats to maximise potential species collection. Each trap consisted of two layers of plastic bubble wrap (40 x 40 cm), with bubbles facing each other so as to provide artificial a^??barka^?? habitat. Dark plastic was used to cover the traps to keep out light, and they were wrapped around a tree with wire at 1.5 m height. Traps were installed on 05/05/2015 then left in situ for several weeks to allow invertebrates to colonise this new habitat. Traps were collected on 29 & 30/07/2015; invertebrates present between the traps and tree bark and between the bubble wrap layers were collected and the traps removed.

Methven Woods SSSI