{{Short description|Insect trap type}} thumb|A pan trap with a number of insects having been attracted to it A '''pan trap''' is a type of insect trap used to sample the abundance and diversity of insects, primarily used to capture small Hymenoptera.<ref name="Epsky et al">{{cite book|author=Nancy D. Epsky |author2=Wendell L. Morrill |author3=Richard W. Mankin |chapter=Traps for Capturing Insects|editor=Capinera, John L.|title=Encyclopedia of Entomology|year=2008|publisher=Springer|location=Dordrecht|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1|pages=3887–3901|chapter-url=https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/3559/publications/traps-08-epskymorrillmankin.pdf}}</ref> Pan traps are typically constructed with a bowl with shallow sides filled with water and soap or a preservative and killing agent. Yellow is the most commonly used color,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Southwood |first1=Richard, Sir |title=Ecological Methods: With Particular Reference to the Study of Insect Populations |date=1988 |publisher=Springer Netherlands |location=Dordrecht |isbn=978-94-009-1225-0 |edition=2}}</ref> but other colors including blue, white, and red are used to target different insect species.<ref name="Buffington et al">{{Cite journal|last1=Buffington|first1=Matthew L.|last2=Garretson|first2=Alexis|last3=Kula|first3=Robert R.|last4=Gates|first4=Michael W.|last5=Carpenter|first5=Ryan|last6=Smith|first6=David R.|last7=Kula|first7=Abigail A. R.|title=Pan trap color preference across Hymenoptera in a forest clearing|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/eea.13008|journal=Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata|year=2021|volume=169|issue=3|pages=298–311|language=en|doi=10.1111/eea.13008|bibcode=2021EEApp.169..298B |s2cid=231929465|issn=1570-7458|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Pan traps are an efficient, cost effective and simple to use trap when targeting Hymenoptera or similar pollinators<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Westphal |first1=Catrin |last2=Bommarco |first2=Riccardo |last3=Carré |first3=Gabriel |last4=Lamborn |first4=Ellen |last5=Morison |first5=Nicolas |last6=Petanidou |first6=Theodora |last7=Potts |first7=Simon G. |last8=Roberts |first8=Stuart P. M. |last9=Szentgyörgyi |first9=Hajnalka |last10=Tscheulin |first10=Thomas |last11=Vaissière |first11=Bernard E. |last12=Woyciechowski |first12=Michal |last13=Biesmeijer |first13=Jacobus C. |last14=Kunin |first14=William E. |last15=Settele |first15=Josef |date=2008 |title=Measuring Bee Diversity in Different European Habitats and Biogeographical Regions |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/07-1292.1 |journal=Ecological Monographs |language=en |volume=78 |issue=4 |pages=653–671 |doi=10.1890/07-1292.1 |issn=1557-7015|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Trap construction == A pan trap consists of a shallow bowl, typically made of colored plastic, filled with water and a surfactant such as dishwashing liquid, salt, propylene glycol, antifreeze, or combinations of other preservatives and killing agents. The surfactant lowers the surface tension of the water, causing the insect to sink and eventually drown.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/science-and-technical/inventory-monitoring/im-toolbox-bats/im-toolbox-invertebrates-light-trapping.pdf |title=Invertebrates: light trapping |last=Patrick |first=Brian |date=2016 |publisher=Department of Conservation |location=Wellington, New Zealand |docket= |access-date=2025-10-12 |url-status=live |work=}}</ref> Salt and propylene glycol are sometimes included as preservatives or to reduce evaporative water loss. Even with these additions, enough liquid needs to be added to prevent the trap from drying out, but too much liquid will cause the trap to overflow if it rains. Small traps dry out quicker, so longer surveys tend to use traps with a larger volume.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Krahner |first1=André |last2=Dietzsch |first2=Anke C. |last3=Jütte |first3=Tobias |last4=Pistorius |first4=Jens |last5=Everaars |first5=Jeroen |date=2024 |title=Standardising bee sampling: A systematic review of pan trapping and associated floral surveys |journal=Ecology and Evolution |language=en |volume=14 |issue=3 |article-number=e11157 |doi=10.1002/ece3.11157 |issn=2045-7758 |pmc=10944983 |pmid=38500849 |bibcode=2024EcoEv..1411157K }}</ref> Traps may be attached to a stake<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Chinga |first1=J. |last2=Murúa |first2=M. |last3=Barahona-Segovia |first3=R. M. |last4=Gelcich |first4=S. |date=2024-01-01 |title=Pan traps: An effective tool for monitoring phenological changes in insect floral visitors and their relationship with floral resources in a coastal Mediterranean forest |journal=Ecological Indicators |volume=158 |article-number=111336 |doi=10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111336 |bibcode=2024EcInd.15811336C |issn=1470-160X|doi-access=free }}</ref> or weighed down with a rock to prevent movement by the wind or animals.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/Uploads/Documents/9382/The+Invertebrate+Collection+Manual.d7d0215.pdf |title=Invertebrate Collection Manual |last1=Bulbert |first1=Matthew |last2=Gollan |first2=John |last3=Donnelly |first3=Andrew |last4=Wilkie |first4=Lance |date=2007 |publisher=Australian Museum |location=Sydney, Australia |docket= |access-date=2025-10-12 |url-status=live |work=}}</ref> The stake can also serve to raise the trap off the ground.<ref name=":0" /> Some traps have been mounted on trees to sample the communities of parasitoid wasps of the invasive beetle, Emerald ash borer.
== Colors == thumb|320x320px|A simple pan trap made from a blue ice cream container The color of pan traps attracts diverse groups of flying insects. Some pollinators confuse the traps with natural flowers, causing the capture of flying pollinator species, including bees.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Westerberg|first1=Lars|last2=Berglund|first2=Hilda-Linn|last3=Jonason|first3=Dennis|last4=Milberg|first4=Per|date=15 March 2021|title=Color pan traps often catch less when there are more flowers around|journal=Ecology and Evolution|volume=11|issue=9|pages=3830–3840|doi=10.1002/ece3.7252|pmid=33976778 |pmc=8093746 |bibcode=2021EcoEv..11.3830W }}</ref> Some studies have suggested that bee species are more attracted and likely to be captured in blue or white pans compared to yellow pans.<ref name="Buffington et al" /><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Moreira|first1=Eduardo Freitas|last2=Santos|first2=Rafaela Lorena da Silva|last3=Penna|first3=Uiré Lopes|last4=Angel-Coca|first4=Catalina|last5=de Oliveira|first5=Favízia Freitas|last6=Viana|first6=Blandina Felipe|date=20 July 2016|title=Are pan traps colors complementary to sample community of potential pollinator insects?|journal=Journal of Insect Conservation|volume=20|issue=4|pages=583–596|doi=10.1007/s10841-016-9890-x|bibcode=2016JICon..20..583M |s2cid=16596068 }}</ref> However, yellow and white pan traps consistently collect the largest number of species.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Vrdoljak|first1=Sven M.|last2=Samways|first2=Michael J.|date=1 June 2012|title=Optimising coloured pan traps to survey flower visiting insects|journal=Journal of Insect Conservation|volume=16|issue=3|pages=345–354|doi=10.1007/s10841-011-9420-9|bibcode=2012JICon..16..345V |s2cid=16104513 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shimoda |first1=Masami |last2=Honda |first2=Ken-ichiro |title=Insect reactions to light and its applications to pest management |journal=Applied Entomology and Zoology |date=November 2013 |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=413–421 |doi=10.1007/s13355-013-0219-x|bibcode=2013AppEZ..48..413S |s2cid=15295724 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
== Height == In an environment with vegetation stratification, the catch rate of pollinators can depend on the height of the pan trap. When foraging pollinators will often move between flowers at the same height. Some taxa can occupy specific layers in vegetation, large bumblebees such as ''Bombus lapidarius'' interact frequently with flowers more than 40cm off the ground.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Klecka |first1=Jan |last2=Hadrava |first2=Jiří |last3=Koloušková |first3=Pavla |date=2018-06-22 |title=Vertical stratification of plant–pollinator interactions in a temperate grassland |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=6 |article-number=e4998 |doi=10.7717/peerj.4998 |doi-access=free |issn=2167-8359 |pmc=6016531 |pmid=29942686}}</ref> The height of the flower relative to the surrounding vegetation is also key. Large bees visit tall flowers more when the surrounding vegetation is taller.
== References == {{reflist}}{{Trapping}} Category:Pest trapping Category:Entomology equipment