LAUSR

Many non‐bee insects are important for pollination, yet few studies have assessed the effectiveness of sampling these taxa using low‐cost techniques, such as coloured vane traps, among different habitat types. This study sampled 192 sites – 108 in wooded and 84 in open habitats – within an agricultural region of southern Australia. Pairs of blue and yellow vane traps were placed at each site for a period of seven days during the austral spring. Overall, 3114 flies (Diptera) from 19 families and 528 wasps (non‐bee and non‐formicid Hymenoptera) from 16 families were collected during the study. This sampling was representative of the region, with vane traps equally or more likely to collect as many families from both taxa as those reported on the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) database for the sampling area. Blue vane traps (BVTs) had greater average richness of both flies and wasps and greater activity density (abundance per 7‐day sampling period) of individuals than yellow vane traps (YVTs). BVTs were particularly favoured by fly and wasp families known to pollinate flowers (e.g. Syrphidae, Bombyliidae and Scoliidae), whilst YVTs sampled flower visitors that also provide additional ecosystem services, such as pest control and nutrient cycling. Here, vane traps were an effective sampling technique to capture non‐bee flower visitors, such as flies and wasps. This study supports the use of vane traps as a component of the sampling protocol for ecological census and population monitoring within multiple habitat types, where colour attraction will more effectively sample a comprehensive pollinator community.