Trakka  Card  Changes

A Short Guide to Track Analysis.

2.Rattus rattus.

Rats have 4 toes on the front foot and 5 toes on the hind. Rattus rattus has a clear split in the central pad of the hind foot. Rattus Norvegicus has a single central pad.

Rat tracks will vary from foot width of 5mm through to 18 or 22mm in a large adult.

You can identify individual animals by their foot widths.

3.Rattus Norvegicus

The central pad is solid in both feet. Foot width  measure ment can identify individual animals.

4. Mice

Mice tracks are miniature rat tracks. They have the toe and pad patterns of Rattus rattus. Tracks will have a foot width less than 5mm.

Insects

The Trakka will allow you to record and  identify insect footprints. For small insects use the Green trakka cards. These are have less tack and are of a lower viscosity which is more suited to very small [ant size] insects.

The shape of the pads on the feet can differ on each foot and between species. Note the pad shapes. The distance between the feet and the stride length gives an indication of the size of the insect.

5 Tree Weta

Weta leave very clear tracks. Note he angle of the feet placement in relation to the direction of the animal.

6 Cave Weta

These tracks are similar to the tree weta . However there is one large pad on the hind foot rather than the 3 pads on the tree weta foot.

7 Cockroaches

At a first glance these tracks are very similar to weta. Closer observation will allow you to spot the differences.

Data Base of insect tracks.

You may like to assist in the development of a data base of insect tracks.

Photograph an insect.

Measure the body length or take the photo on  graph paper.

Then place the insect on the inked section of a half trakka card.Send the photo and the tracks to

sales@black-trakka.co.nz

We will identify the insect and add the information to a developing data base.