Entomology Commons^™

Carrion Beetles Of The Blackwater Ecologic Preserve: Community Structure Seasonal Patterns And Habitat Use, Amy L. Simons

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Carrion beetles (Silphidae) are important in the decomposition of carcasses in ecosystems. Two subfamilies, Nicrophorinae and Silphinae, differ in reproductive behaviors. The Nicrophinae, burying beetles, bury small carcasses to serve as food for the adults and their offspring. The Silphinae oviposit near larger carcasses. There is intense competition among all carrion beetles and other carrion feeders for carcasses, and beetle species have evolved seasonal activity patterns that minimize competition, such as when they are active and when they reproduce. Northern Silphidae communities are more diverse than southern communities, probably due to increased competition for carrion in the south.

This research …

The Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Fauna Of The Blackwater Ecological Preserve: Effects Of Prescribed Burns And Habitat Type On Mosquito Abundance And Distribution, Norman A. Grefe Lll

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

While mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are among the most studied of insect groups, much remains unknown about their distribution and response to environmental impacts such as prescribed burns. Blackwater Ecological Preserve, located near Zuni, Virginia, is a relict long leaf pine barren, parts of which undergo periodic prescribed burns to maintain and restore this fire-dependent ecosystem. To assess the impact of prescribed burns on mosquito activity and to determine associations between seasonal patterns of adult mosquito activity and habitat type, CDC light traps baited with dry ice were set (rom late April through October at Blackwater Ecological Preserve during the 2005 …