Species richness of the Campopleginae and Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae) along a latitudinal gradient in eastern North American old-growth forests

We ran 10 Malaise traps along a latitudinal gradient in five old-growth for ests: San Felasco Hammock, FL (30 degrees N, 82 degrees W); Tall Timbers Re search Station, FL (31 degrees N, 84 degrees W); Hitchiti Experimental Fore st, GA (33 degrees N, 84 degrees W); Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, MD (39 degrees N, 77 degrees W), and Shaw Woods, Ontario (46 degrees N, 77 deg rees W). Of 18,791 ichneumonid wasps collected, 1,487 campoplegines and 4,4 94 ichneumonines were sorted to 241 species (95 species of Campopleginae an d 146 of Ichneumoninae). Campoplegine species richness was highest at the G eorgia site: San Felasco (20 species),Tall Timbers (32), Hitchiti (49), Pat uxent (35), and Shaw Woods (le). Ichneumonine species richness was highest at the Maryland site: San Felasco (47), Tall Timbers (30), Hitchiti (44), P atuxent (68). and Shaw Woods (37). The results confirm reported trends that peak North American ichneumonid species richness lies at midlatitudes. How ever, they document greater biodiversity in the southern states and a broad er peak than previously reported.