Diversity of Insect Pest and Predator Species in Monsoon and Summer Rice Fields of Taungoo Environs, Myanmar

Abstract

Paddy fields are natural and artificial wetland ecosystems that supply rice for the people and provide the wildlife especially insect diversity of different functional aspects. A total of 71 insect species belonging to 40 families under eight orders were observed during the study period. Among the 71 insect species, 18 species of beetles, nine species of bugs, eight species of dragonfly, five species of butterflies, four species of leafhoppers, plant hoppers and moths, three borer and spiders, two crickets, one species of skippers, grass hopper, hispa, ant, weevil, hairy caterpillar, leaf roller, katydid, thrips, maggot and water boatmen were recorded in the study sites. Total of 41 species of pests, 18 species of predators and 12 species of beneficial species (they function as pollinating the flowering plants in the paddy field wetland ecosystem) were recorded in the study sites. In the monsoon season, the 41 species of pest species, 18 species of predator species and 12 species of beneficial species were recorded from monsoon rice field. According to Shannon Evenness value (H'/S = -0.012564), the data showed that the insect species recorded from the one habitat was not the similar to another. In summer paddy fields, 36 species of pest species, 16 species of predator species and 9 species of beneficial species were recorded. Total arthropod insect species were recorded 61 species from the dry rice fields. According to Shannon Evenness value (H'/S = -0.000120), the data showed that the insect species recorded from the one habitat was not the similar to another. Population growth and duration of life cycle of insects is mainly dominated by the temperature, the duration of life cycle is shorter in the high temperature than in the low temperature.