<p>Use of McPhail traps for sampling adults of Osmylidae (Insecta: Neuroptera)</p>

Abstract

Recent studies on Osmylidae (Neuroptera) in South America have received significant attention, resulting in the description of 12 new species in the last decade. This growing interest in lance lacewings is closely linked with the increase in specimen collections across South America, primarily conducted using Malaise traps. To address the need for more diverse collections in different locations and considering the heightened interest in this family, we present a new, effective, and cost-efficient method for sampling Osmylidae. Our approach utilizes McPhail traps made from PET bottles, employing passion fruit juice as an attractant. The first collection using this method was carried out in an olive cultivation area (Olea spp.) associated with fragments of mixed forest typical of the Atlantic Forest at ranch Carpe Diem, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A total of 269 specimens of Isostenosmylus pulverulentus (Gerstaecker, 1894) were collected in five months.