Fauna of protected areas-5: Insect fauna of Shendurny Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

Abstract

Altogether 322 species of insects were collected from the Sanctuary during the two-month survey, of which 301 species could be identified. These included 202 species of butterflies and moths, 49 species of beetles, 25 species of bugs and 12 species of bees and wasps. The butterflies included 73 species of which five were of protected status and three endemic to Western Ghats. The moth fauna was also very rich comprising mostly of arboreal feeding forms indicating a fairly undisturbed forest patch in the area. Among beetles, scavenger beetles showed richness. The passalid beetles found in rotting wood and scarabaeid beetles feeding in dung were the most important groups of scavenger beetles. The herbivorous beetles associated with various plants mostly belonged to the family Chrysomalidae. The bugs collected, include several species of agricultural importance. Among Hymenoptera, six wasp and three bee species could be recorded. In addition to these, six species of dragonflies, 21 unidentified species of flies, three species of grasshoppers and four species of other insects were recorded. An inventory of insects identified from the Sanctuary has been presented.