Moorland Beetle Communities on Limestone 'Habitat Islands'. II. Flight Activity, and its Influence on Local Staphylinid Diversity

(1) The staphylinid faunas of discrete limestone grassland patches and adjacent blanket peat habitat were studied on two areas of moorland in northern England. Terrestrial and aerial components of the faunas were sampled using pitfall and window traps, respectively. (2) Two-thirds of all species taken on the Moor House National Nature Reserve were capable of flight. Flight occurred throughout the field season, peaking in late spring and at the end of the summer.