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Sampling larval amphibians by bottletrap:
Development of activity trap systems

Don Wik

Proto-Fab
E4596 266^th Ave
Menomonie, WI 54751

[Editorial note: please see abstract]

Background
The development of this system goes back to 1988. At that time I was involved in research of crayfish for the State of Wisconsin. During that summer and the next couple of years I developed two escape proof traps, a sorter, and a specialized harvest boat. During this time at one of the aquiculture meeting where I presented my findings I met Dr. Judith Helgen, Senior scientist with Minnesota Pollution Control.

During the following meetings and conversations with Dr. Helgen she indicated a need to have developed a low cost, but effective sampling system for wetland research. If such a system could be developed, many of the schools and perhaps many of the environmentally concerned groups in the general public would pick up on it and would assist in monitoring the wetlands for the states. If some report was very far from what would be considered normal, the state professionals would get involved and conduct their own test.

My education and background allowed me to design and fabricate the tools which Dr. Helgen required.

I am not trained in biology, but I have spent a lot of time during the past years listening to Dr. Helgens concerns and frustrations with the system, then going to my shop, and a building something to reduce the problems. The system is now so simple that it is amazing that someone did not think of it before. People have been using the two litter plastic bottle for years, but they had to use tape or metal clips to hold the parts together. Both of these systems are affected by water, visible and sometimes a little problem to use. My thought was, everybody eats somebody else in the wetland, so if a creature was swimming along and came upon a larger object, instinct would make it avoid and go around.

I worked for some time to get the funnel to attach to the main bottle without any additional parts and be easy to assemble and take apart. When this level of development was reached Dr. Helgen reported increase number of tadpoles and some leaches in the traps, even when they were left in the wetland for three days.

At this time Dr. Helgen has not had time to finalize a report on her tests of this system or the follow on tests being conducted by non professional researchers in Minnesota. Until these reports are published, I would consider my comments to be just observations based on conversations of some time ago, and some items are maybe forgotten, left out, or misunderstood.

I would like to submit my collection tools for consideration in this area of research, and am willing to work with anybody on their project if they want some help with tools. I am willing to send anybody, one of everything that I make for $25.00 and shipping costs.

Design

Figure 1. Photographic overview and detail of bottletrap.

Figure 2. Detail from patent.

Notes to users of device

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Laurel, MD, USA 20708-4038
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp3/naamp3.html
Contact: Sam Droege, email: Sam_Droege@usgs.gov
Last Modified: June 2002