Species Diversity and Seasonal Population Dynamics of Terrestrial Insects in Saluga and Ghazal Protected Area, Aswan, Egypt

Abstract

Species diversity, relative abundance and population trends of terrestrial insects were studied in Saluga and Ghazal protected area, Aswan, Egypt for the first time during one year from November 2015 to October 2016. Three different methods of survey (aerial net trap, pitfall trap and yellow sticky trap) were used in different nine sites including all habitats in the area, sandy, rocky, vegetated and aquatic area. A total of 15151 individuals of 78 species belonging to 43 families from 11 orders were recorded using the previous three methods. The net trap collected 62 species from 59 genera belonging to 32 families in 11 orders among them Lepidoptera was the most abundant order followed by Hymenoptera and Odonata and pitfall traps collected 9 species belonging to 9 genera from 4 families and 3 orders, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera were the most abundant orders, while yellow sticky traps collected 10 species belonging to 10 genera, 9 families and 5 orders, Hemiptera and Coleoptera were the most abundant orders. The study indicated that the net trap was the most effective method for monitoring the largest number of orders, families and species and the highest population number was recorded in site 3, while the lowest number was in site (9). The relation between ecological factors and abundance of the most dominant species is discussed.