beating sheet
The Beating Sheet is an indispensable piece of equipment and essential gear for the serious coleopterist. The Beating Sheet, or “Sheet”, is a piece of fabric supported by a frame of two (2) pieces of wood or PVC plastic in the form of a right angle cross. The ends of the frame pieces fit into pockets sewn into the corners of the sheet. The sheet is slightly larger than the support frame thus sagging slightly below the frame forming a collection trough directing dislodged beetles towards the center. Beetles have the habit, in most cases, of dropping off their resting places when disturbed rather than taking flight. The Beating Sheet takes advantage of this predictable behavior.
The sheet is placed under dead branches, foliage, flowering scrubs, trees, etc and the branches given a sharp rap with any suitable stick (the author uses a 1 1/4 inch diameter oak dowel) and the sheet quickly examined for beetles. Any of interest are then hand picked from the sheet or “sucked up” with the aspirator (see Pooter/Aspirator under Collecting Equipment)
Beating Sheet in action. Note the sagging of the sheet directing beetles towards the center of the sheet.
Examining the sheet for any “keepers”. Caution should be exercised as some beetles take flight almost immediately after hitting the sheet.
Here the sheet is placed under a low lying log (see arrow) and the author is rubbing the bark and picking off loose pieces thus dislodging any beetles which then fall on the sheet rather than hopelessly lost in the leaf litter!
Close up of typical beating sheet. Note hardwood cross pieces and canvas sheet with corner pockets. This sheet is from BioQuip and has proven reliability and is quite durable.
