The purpose of this study is to identify a type of pitfall trap container that can withstand the temperature extremes of the Mojave Desert in which the terrestrial, or above ground, drift fence with pitfall traps will be utilized for trapping reptiles. A pitfall trap is a container, such as a plastic bucket with a plastic lid, that is buried in the ground up to the lip of the bucket and used to catch small ground dwelling fauna that fall into the trap. Many different pitfall trap materials have been utilized in the trapping of small ground-dwelling fauna. Plastic has been the most common material used in pitfall trap containers, or buckets, in many different climates around the world. However, plastic is probably a very inefficient material for pitfall trap containers utilized in a desert environment due to extremely dry conditions and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Pitfall trap containers have been used for trapping small ground-dwelling fauna in many regions of the world. Plastic pitfall trap containers have been a common trapping method utilized for trapping small ground-dwelling fauna. Plastic buckets and other containers are used in reptile surveys in order for scientists to survey the health and well being of individual reptiles. Reptiles are examined, weighed and measured
