Survey download records-2022-09-28

These data derive from decades of near-continuous (1992 - 2019, apart from 2008 and 2009) operation of a 160W Rothamsted-design light trap at Stony Rise Centre, Devonport, Tasmania, Australia. Stony Rise was the last of several long term, continuous trapping sites operated over this period by the Tasmanian state agricultural agency, currently known as the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. The light was normally operated every night, with all individuals of selected taxa counted. There were 5433 trapping events covering 7897 nights including 4167 single-night events, 502 two-night events, 516 three-night events and 165 four-night events. The remaining 83 events were variously 5-14 nights duration. There were 194 sporadic nights when the trap malfunctioned, which is about 2.5% of 7897 nights in the main trapping periods. The trap did not operate for extended periods (3-6 months) in early 1996, early 1998, all of 2007, all of 2008, all of 2009, early 2010 and late 2015. Enumeration of catches ceased on 6 February 2019. A total of 222,146 specimens were identified and enumerated for the data set. The initial focus of the trapping was on Noctuidae and insect species of economic importance for Tasmanian agriculture. The selected taxa grew from 104 taxa in 1992 to 273 taxa in 2019. Consequently, absence of some species from early samples should not be considered to indicate absence of these species. During periods in which any species was included in counts, a record is always included for the species in question, with a count of zero if no individuals were detected. During periods in which the species was not included in counts, no record is included for the species and period in question. Hence zero counts can always be considered to represent true absence within the sample of identified insects. An explanation of the survey work leading to this dataset and an overview of species included was published in Hill, L., 2013b, Long-term light trap data from Tasmania, Australia, Plant Protection Quarterly Vol.28(1) (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274700470_Long-term_light_trap_data_from_Tasmania_Australia). The bibliography lists publications derived from analysis of these data.