Abstract
A random walk model for insect dispersal leads to the diffusion equation. Diffusivity is a suitable parameter to characterize the rate of dispersal. The methods by which diffusivity may be computed using data from the most common types of dispersal experiments are discussed. Some of the implications and limitations of the model are mentioned. The probability that an insect will move more than a certain distance in a certain time in proposed as a useful statistic. Dispersal data from adult Pantorhytes weevils in a dense canopy of cacao are presented and successfully interpreted in terms of the diffusion analysis. The diffusivity found was 0.75 m2 day(—1). It is calculated that there is a probability of 0.01 that any beetle will move more than 20 m in 1 month.
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