Scarab beetle diversity (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Northeastern Iowa

Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were surveyed at ten sites in Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties during the summer of 2009. The objectives of this survey were to catalog the scarab beetles of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, compare the species richness of four different habitat types, determine the efficiency of five collecting techniques used for this survey, and document any new county or state record species. In all, 49 species of scarab beetles were found, including five new state records for Iowa. The four habitat types sampled were tallgrass prairie, mixed grassland and forest, oak-hickory forest, and pasture. Five collecting techniques compared in this survey were black light traps, banana-beer traps, rodent burrow pitfalls, manure-baited pitfalls, and gleaning (general collecting). Overall scarab beetle diversity was greatest in oak-hickory forest habitat as determined by Shannon’s diversity index (H’=3.655) and Pielou’s evenness index (J=0.8766). Mixed grassland and forest habitat had the highest abundance (1036 beetles) and species richness (31 species). Black light trapping collected the most beetles (1292 beetles) and had the highest species richness (28 species) of the collecting techniques used.