Ecological characteristics of nocturnal pest insects and their natural enemies in green bean fields

Abstract

In agricultural ecosystems, insects can act as potential pests, and insects can also act as natural enemies of insect pests. This study aims to determine the ecological characteristics of nocturnal pest insects and their natural enemies in the agricultural ecosystem, namely in the green bean fields. Sampling is done before and after harvest using light trap method. The results show that the ecological character of nocturnal pest insects of the number of species and diversity before harvest is higher than after harvest. Likewise, the number of species and diversity of natural enemy insects before harvest is higher than after harvest. Ecological characteristics of individual numbers and abundance of insect pests before harvest is higher than after harvest. Similarly, the number of individuals and natural enemies abundance before harvest is higher than after harvest. The dominant pest insects before harvest are the Mycetophilidae, Sciaridae, Pentatomidae, Cicadellidae, and Pyralidae, after harvesting the Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Anobiidae, Pentatomidae, Cicadellidae, Pyralidae, and Nolidae. While the dominant natural enemies before harvest are the Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Carabidae, Miridae, and Aelothripidae, after harvest the Staphylinidae, Carabidae, Miridae, and Formicidae. The diversity index of insect pests and natural enemy insects is included in the moderate category. The evenness index of pest insects and natural enemies before and after harvest fall into the evenly distributed category. The index of similarity of insect pests before and after harvest shows quite similar results, while for natural enemy insects show unequal results.