ABOL BioBlitz at the ÖEG insect camp 2023
This year ABOL participated for the second time in the ÖEG insect camp with a BioBlitz. This year the four-day camp took place in the picturesque scenery of the Salzburger Kalkhochalpen of the Naturepark Weißbach and led us to species-rich mountain meadows, forest edges, swamp meadows up to alpine lawns.
Before starting into the field, the variety of different fields of expertise became apparent in the form of the stored equipment: Leaf vacuums for bugs, cicadas and various hymenoptera, beetle traps, luminous traps for moths and other nocturnal animals, hoverfly-, wild bee-, butterfly- & dragonfly-nets, sieves for millipedes, mosquito traps and much more. All framed by identification literature, binoculars, taxidermy utensils and a wide variety of collecting tubes.
In a short ABOL-presentation, the relevance of an Austria-wide DNA reference database and DNA-based identification approaches were presented. Interested participants could pick up tubes prepared by the ABOL team to barcode their collected animals. A Malaise trap for a metabarcoding approach was also set up again.
The days were very suitable for professional exchange and a common barbecue with an enjoyable evening in the naturepark rounded off the program wonderfully.
It can be said that the goal of the ÖEG, the promotion, documentation and representation of scientific entomology in Austria, was fully achieved during the four days. A big thank-you to the youth referent of the ÖEG Elisabeth Huber and the team of the Naturepark Weißbach, the schedule was flawless! Thank you very much for having us!
Impressions:
