Why Is the Pitfall Trap Important?

Pitfall trapping is a sampling technique that is widely used to examine species occurrence during surveys, spatial distribution patterns, compare relative abundance in different micro-habitats, study daily activity rhythms, and study seasonal occurrence.

What are pitfalls used for?

A pitfall trap is a trapping pit for small animals, such as insects, amphibians and reptiles. Pitfall traps are a sampling technique, mainly used for ecology studies and ecologic pest control. Animals that enter a pitfall trap are unable to escape.

What are pitfall traps used to measure?

Pitfall trapping measures the activity of species that may be susceptible to capture in pitfall traps. It can be used to estimate an index of relative abundance from one time to another or between different places.