ESA Annual Meetings Online Program
Survey of the curculionidae in white rock nature preserve, Monroe county, Illinois, with notes on plant associations
Primary Investigator: Korey A.P. Byers
Advisor: Dr. Diane Wood
Biology department, Southeast Missouri State University
North American beetles number more than 24,000 species, including over 3,000 nominative species of the small and often overlooked weevils, many of which belong to the family Curculionidae. To assess species richness and abundance of curculionid weevils in different habitats, White Rock Nature Preserve in Monroe County, Illinois, with approximately 124 hectares of upland forests, limestone glades, and hill prairies, was chosen as a survey site. Sweep netting within these habitats was performed, alongside specific hand collections every three weeks for a single growing season (March-October 2012). During collecting, individual plant species were identified and a list of observed habitat associations was constructed. Night lighting techniques were also used to collect weevil species that may have been missed during daylight hours. Samples were identified to species, and high-resolution, digital images were recorded of the dorsal, ventral, anterior, posterior, and tarsal aspects of individuals within each species. These images were then compiled into a digital imaging database. Preliminary survey results and notable habitat associations will be reported in this poster presentation.
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