Frequently Asked Questions
Trap and Collection
What is a Malaise trap?
A Malaise trap is an effective low-maintenance and low-cost sampling tool used for scientific research, particularly to carry out biodiversity inventories.
Read more about Malaise traps and how they work HERE.
Do I need permits?
Collecting and export permits vary depending on the country of origin and/or the collection site selected (e.g. protected area). Please carefully review the regulations/requirements for your country and site before beginning collection.
Do I need to use the TrapTracker app?
TrapTracker is our free mobile app for recording trap activity in the field. It is currently available for Android, and an iOS version is in development. Using the app is optional, but we encourage participants with an Android phone to give it a try. The app records each step of your sampling as it happens (PLACE NEW TRAP, PLACE NEW BOTTLE, COLLECT BOTTLE and REMOVE TRAP) by scanning the QR labels on your trap and bottles. This keeps your collection dates, trap and bottle conditions, and site details linked to each sample.
TrapTracker is currently in its trial period, so if you use the app, please also record each collection on your paper or digital log sheet as a backup.
The app and its User Guide are available on the TrapTracker page HERE. For help with the app, contact traptracker.support@globalmalaise.org.
If you don’t have an Android phone, or prefer not to use the app, follow the no-app version of the GMP Malaise Trap SOP and record everything on the sample log sheet. Your trap will still have a Trap ID label, so you can start using the app later, including once the iOS version is available.
How often do I change the bottle?
The bottle should be changed every week (7 days). While at the site, check the trap and bottle for any signs of damage, vandalism, or problems and record their condition. If you are using the TrapTracker app, record the collection in the app (COLLECT BOTTLE) and also on your paper log sheet while the app is in its trial period. If you are not using the app, record it on the log sheet. If you are able to monitor the trap more often (no bottle change), at least during the initial collection, this can be useful to monitor ethanol and catch levels. If you experience inclement weather (e.g high winds, rains, etc), we recommend checking on the trap as soon as possible as repairs may be necessary or ethanol may need to be topped up in the collecting bottle.
If you are in a temperate climate region, and it is the winter season, you may leave the bottle out for up to 4 weeks. Please consider that less frequent monitoring may result in compromised samples due to ethanol evaporation and/or trap damage. It is recommended you consult with your CBG representative prior to changing the sampling schedule.
What do I do if I miss a collection day?
Please do your best to ensure the sample bottle can be changed weekly. When planning trap deployment, select a day of the week unlikely to overlap with holidays. If possible, have an alternate person trained to collect the sample in case of illness etc. If you are unable to collect a sample, please collect on the next possible day and then resume your normal collection day after. Ensure you have accurately recorded the collection dates in TrapTracker (if using) and on the bottle and collection log sheet.
How often do I move the trap?
In order to track shifts in species composition over the course of the collecting period, it is ideal that the trap is NOT moved to a different sampling location after deployment. It should stay in one site for the entire duration of the insect flight period (ie. until the bottles/bags that came with the sampling kit are all used). This could be as long as 52 weeks (1 full year). After this period, you may contact CBG to discuss deploying the trap at a new location.
Where do I store the samples?
In a freezer −20 °C (preferred). If no freezer space is available, then in a refrigerator. Otherwise, the last resort is to store them in a cool dark place (ie. away from heat/sunlight) and with enough ethanol to fully immerse the insect mass in the bottle/bag and to ship frequently. Please consult with your CBG representative prior to using this option.
What should I do if the trap gets damaged?
Contact CBG (info@globalmalaise.org) for replacement parts and note the extent of the damage and possible causes using the trap condition options in TrapTracker (if using) and on the log sheet.
Shipping
When do I ship the samples back?
Before shipping, check your country’s export requirements, then email info@globalmalaise.org to arrange the shipment. If this is the first time you’ve run a trap for the program, it is good to ship a subset of the samples back to Canada part-way through the collection period (anywhere from 20-30 samples). This way, CBG can assess the condition of the specimens and suggest ways of improving integrity for future samples, if applicable. Additionally, you may have difficulties with exporting the samples outside of your country. It would be good to test this with a small shipment rather than the entire collection.
If you have experience exporting samples before, then it is safe to ship the entire collection all at once. Ensure that CBG has a tracking number for the package.
How do I ship the samples?
Ship the samples via courier companies, ideally with FedEx, since we interact with them frequently. Select the international express/priority option, ship Monday to Wednesday so the package doesn’t sit over a weekend, and send a tracking number to CBG. Packages must meet IATA Special Provision A180: no more than 30 mL of liquid per bag, no more than 1 L per package, and the outer bag heat-sealed. Inform CBG if you need to use a different shipping company (i.e. country-specific postal services, DHL, etc.).
How are shipping fees paid?
We encourage all participants to cover the cost of shipping if they can to help offset the cost of the project, however if you are unable to cover this expense, please contact your CBG representative and discuss options for fee recovery or collect shipping.
Can I remove certain taxa from the samples before sending it to Canada?
No, do not remove any specimens from the samples before sending it to Canada. Doing so will diverge from the standard Global Malaise Program protocol and will skew your data so it cannot be compared with other sites in the network. Discuss any such intentions with CBG first, considerations may be made on a case-by-case basis.
Analysis & Results
When will my samples be processed?
Processing time is dependent on the volume of samples received and funding available. The estimated timeline for completion is one year after receiving and starting processing of all samples. If funding is not available, samples will be placed in freezer hold up storage until funds become available. If you have specific deadlines, please contact your CBG representative.
How will my samples be processed?
This is dependent on your agreement with CBG; your samples may be processed for reference library building, symbiome linkages, bulk metabarcoding or a combination of these.
Who covers the cost of analysis for the samples?
We encourage all participants to seek funding sources to cover or partially cover costs related to the processing of the samples. In some cases, samples may qualify to fit within existing grants. Please discuss funding and pricing options with your CBG representative. See our Biological Material Transfer Agreements (BMTAs) for more information on pricing options.
How do I access my results?
Individually barcoded reference library material will be available on the Barcode of Life Datasystems (BOLD, http://v4.boldsystems.org/) within a specified container project or dataset: please create a BOLD user account. Metabarcoding results are processed through CBG’s bioinformatics pipeline and emailed to you. It is recommended to contact your CBG representative to determine completion status prior to using any data.
What data will be obtained after analysis?
A wet weight measurement will be recorded for each sample before processing. Additional data obtained will depend on how the samples are processed after weighing.
For reference library building, each Malaise sample will be sorted into individual specimens for analysis. Voucher data will be uploaded to BOLD and its corresponding sequence will be uploaded after processing. This sequence will be run through a clustering algorithm to assign it to a new/existing BIN (Barcode Index Number), a proxy for species, which will then be used to add a taxonomic identification.
For metabarcoding, an entire Malaise sample will be analyzed in bulk. Occurrence records of similar sequences will be obtained after processing and they will be assigned to BINs based on the existing BOLD database, which will then allow for taxonomic identification.
Species diversity data can therefore be obtained through both methods. And the wet weight measurement can be used as a rough estimate for specimen abundance for both methods. However, accurate specimen and species abundance data can only be obtained through individual specimen analysis. This also allows for future examination of individual vouchers since it retains its connection to its sequence.
Who has access to my data/results?
The CBG is committed to the rapid release and sharing of sequence data and collateral specimen information. Data generated by the CBG is released to the public through the BOLD Data Portal, BOLD Data Packages, and their associated tools twice per year. The official embargo period is 12 months. Data is not released publicly until the embargo period has expired with the exception of samples that have been paid for on a full cost recovery basis, these remain private. Please read our full data release policy HERE.
What are non-target sequences (NTS), and how are they handled?
When samples are sequenced, some of the DNA recovered comes from organisms other than the arthropods being studied, such as fungi, bacteria, protists, plants, or other organisms associated with the specimens. These are called non-target sequences (NTS). How NTS are treated fall under the BMTA, e.g. whether they are retained, released, or shared under the same terms as target data. For full details, see our Biological Material Transfer Agreements (BMTAs)