# data[].attributes.headline
Sampling one of the bird cherry trees in the woodland

# data[].attributes.subject
Sampling one of the bird cherry trees in the woodland

# data[].attributes.body
These pinewoods are being restored by the Woodland Trust and Arkaig Community Forest. WT are funding a range of invertebrate surveys as a baseline for monitoring future change and recovery.

# data[].attributes.body
Malaise trap samples have been comprehensively sorted to at least family level and are being identified to species with welcome assistance from various specialists. Help is still needed for several of the most abundant families e.g. Phoridae, Sciaridae, Chironomidae, Cecidiomyiidae, as well as Parasitica. If you could help we would be delighted to hear from you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Home-made bottle trap beside old birch (design K. Alexander)

# data[].attributes.body
In 2018 Malaise traps were operated at two sites from May to September. In 2021 a Malaise trap has been running at a third site together with water traps, pitfall traps and bottle traps to compare the catches.

# data[].attributes.body
Loch Arkaig lies just NW of Fort William. The pinewoods extend along most of the southern shore, the approximate sites of the Malaise traps are marked in red

# data[].attributes.body
Malaise trap in the pinewood - May 2021

# data[].attributes.body
There have been plenty of remarkable discoveries so far, including species new to Britain, several others new to Scotland and various RDB1 species. A report is in preparation.

Special thanks to Iain MacGowan for help with this project.

# data[].attributes.body
Caledonian pinewoods are present throughout most of Highland Scotland from Deeside to the Atlantic coast. Although much reduced in size they still contain a unique Dipteran fauna.
Most collecting focusses on the Cairngorm pinewoods but sampling this smaller western fragment has proved very rewarding.