Arthropod_collection_and_identificationThe_arthropod__.html

<h3>Arthropod collection and identification</h3><div>The arthropod communities present in the oil palms were sampled intensively after one year of exclusion through three survey methods: insecticide spraying, beating and vacuuming. All methods were completed at one experimental plot before moving to the next. First we lay four 0.9 m x 2.9 m white sheets on the ground, at right angles to the trunk of each oil palm, at each of four points around the palm. This was done for all palms within one experimental plot at one time. One person then walked around the palms twice spraying the insecticide (Decis ® 2,5 EC, Bayer CropScience, Jakarta, Indonesia) extensively over each palm using a herbicide sprayer. After 15 min all invertebrates that had fallen onto the sheets were collected. &nbsp;The walking pattern, amount of time spraying and amount of insecticide used was consistent between plots. Next, the beating method was completed by holding a 5 m x 3 m sheet under a oil palm frond and shaking the frond up and down so arthropods on the frond dropped onto the sheet. This was completed at four fronds on one palm, then the sheet was folded to prevent arthropod escape. The sheet was slowly unfolded on the ground and all arthropods that had dropped onto the sheet were collected. Finally, arthropods in the oil palm leaf axils and flowers were collected with a modified vacuum. Vacuuming was carried out for four minutes per palm which was sufficient time to cover the entire area. The material collected by the vacuum was searched in the lab and all arthropods found were collected. </div>