SNH Invertebrate Site Condition Monitoring 2015-16: Crannach Wood SSSI

Quality Control

We have a very high level of confidence in this dataset. The recorder and/or determiner is a highly experienced ecologist. Where necessary, rare specimens were compared against reference collections, those held in the National Museums Scotland collection and identities confirmed with experts.

Method steps

1. Surveys targeted the invertebrate assemblage feature of Crannach Wood SSSI and Clubiona subsultans. However other terrestrial invertebrate species were also recorded. Surveys for Pytho depressus and Saperda scalaris involved two site visits to maximise temporal differences in species composition. The initial site visit was made on 20/05/2015 to set up bark traps and undertake checks for emergence of S. scalaris. The second visit was undertaken on 13 & 14/07/2015 to complete the surveys for beetles with later emergence seasons. A single bark trap was set in ten locations. Each trap consisted of two layers of plastic bubble wrap (40 x 40 cm), with bubbles facing each other so as to provide artificial a^??barka^?? habitat. Dark plastic was used to cover the traps to keep out light, and they were wrapped around a tree with wire at 1.5 m height. Traps were then left in situ for several weeks to allow invertebrates to colonise this new habitat. Afterwards invertebrates between the traps and tree bark and between the bubble wrap layers were collected and the traps removed. During the initial site visit on 20/05/2015, single spider nest traps targeting Clubiona subsultans were installed in five locations in suitable woodland habitat. Nest boxes consisted of bundles of short lengths of bamboo canes held together by plastic tubing, and were attached to trees with wire at a height of 1.5 m. Nest boxes were left in situ for a minimum of four weeks, then collected and returned to the lab in sealed plastic bags for identification. Active searches for Callicera rufa were undertaken on 20/05/2015 and 13 & 14/07/2015, and focussed on searching for the presence of larvae and suitable habitat (rot-holes with saturated debris in Scots pine).

Crannach Wood SSSI