ACTIVITY RANGE AND DISPERSAL OF THE PROTURA ACERENTOMON-NEMORALE (ARTHROPODA, INSECTA)

In order to record proturan movements, endogeic trapping boxes with di fferent trapping agents and soil-filled tube traps were placed in a bi rch stand on peat throughout one year. Additional laboratory experimen ts with imagines and larvae 3 (maturi juniores) of Acerentomon nemoral e in peat filled basins were designed to show their range of action. I n these laboratory experiments, proturans covered greater distances at higher temperature (15 degrees C) than at lower one (7 degrees C). Th e mean distance covered amounts up to 48.3 cm in sire days. Therefore the considerate extraction method according to MacFadyen (1961) seemed to be useful for monitoring these proturans. The negative results of the field experiments suggest that proturans show only little movement under undisturbed conditions.