Invertebrate activity under snow in deciduous woods

Pitfall traps caught large numbers of representatives of 44 families of invertebrates just before snow fall and under the snow. Some groups of ectotherms were most active in late autumn and late winter, the activity of some increased throughout the winter and some showed no major change although subnivean temperatures were usually near 0°C. The most commonly trapped groups were: phalangids, collembolans, diplopods, coleopterans, dipterans, arachnids, gastropods and chilopods.