A comparison of traditional and tanglefoot-adapted traps to immobilize protein immunomarked bees

Protein immunomarking is a powerful type of mark-capture study that involves spraying a target location with a unique protein solution, then capturing insects and testing them for the presence of the protein residues, detected as low as 30 PPM, by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mark-capture studies can provide information regarding where insects are moving throughout their environment. Wild bees (Anthophila: non-Apis) are typically solitary or live in small nesting aggregations. Even with thousands of different species across the United States, we know relatively little about their nesting and foraging dynamics. The standard methods for the passive sampling of bees are tri-colored bee bowls and blue vane traps filled with a small amount of soapy water; however, the liquid would cause cross-contamination between specimens. How then, can protein immunomarked wild bees be sampled without experiencing cross-contamination? Here we report on a field study conducted in Blacksburg, Virginia across three locations that examines the effectiveness of specifically-adapted, tri-colored bee bowls and blue vane traps, containing either sticky Tanglefoot (The ORTHO Group), or the traditional soapy water. In particular, we will quantify differences in species diversity and abundance between the different trap type combinations to determine if our Tanglefoot-adapted traps are able to immobilize the specimen, prevent cross-contamination, and preserve the proteins for ELISA testing. With many wild bee species facing increasing pressures from anthropogenic landscape changes, a better understanding of their behavior could lead to improved protection and management strategies.