Entomology

ASSESSMENT OF INSECTS IN ATULAYAN ISLAND, CAMARINES SUR
SARAH S. ALAMA, KATHLEEN ROSE M. ALMIÑE, JULIE ANNE G. BALANGAT, ACE R. BALANSAYO, MA. MAY R. CAMATA, CARMELA DAWN R. DE GUZMAN, CAMILLE P. ESCOBER, FAITH N. MAÑO, KRISTINA G. RODRIGUEZ, SHEILA A. RODRIGUEZA, JANE ELLEN MARIE M. SALON

Department of Biology
Bicol University College of Science, Legazpi City (052) 480-594

Insect species in Atulayan Island, Camarines Sur were surveyed for a 2-day period. The occurrence of insects was correlated with microweather parameters such as relative humidity and temperature. The density, frequency, importance value and various ecological indices such as diversity, dominance and evenness were also computed. A total of 654 insects were collected. The collected insects were classified into 17 orders: Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Mantodea, Dermaptera, Isoptera, Phthiraptera, Siphonaptera, Thysanoptera, and Diplura. Order Diptera is the dominant order with the highest density and importance values of 201 and 20.37, respectively. Using Pearson Correlation Analysis, 61.05% and 61.63% of the variation in the values of humidity and temperature, respectively accounts for a linear correlation with the number of collected insects in each plot. The highest number of insects (223 individuals) was noted when the humidity value was at its lowest (66%) and the temperature value was at its highest (24.3°C). The results show that humidity and temperature has strong correlation with insect growth and reproduction. The lower the value of humidity and the closer the temperature is to 28°C, the greater is the insect population. Using Shannon Diversity Index, we have obtained a value of 1.84 suggesting that the insect orders collected have low diversity. Pielou’s Evenness Index led us to a value of 0.65 signifying that the insect orders have a moderate evenness.
ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION

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