Abundance Of Insect Species Research Articles

Landscape Factors Influencing Stink Bug Injury in Mid-Atlantic Tomato Fields.

Landscape structure and diversity influence insect species abundance. In agricultural systems, adjacent crop and non-crop habitats can influence pest species population dynamics and intensify economic damage. To investigate the influence of landscape factors on stink bug damage in agricultural systems, we assessed stink bug damage from 30 processing tomato fields in the mid-Atlantic United States and analyzed landscape structure and geographic location. We found that forest shape and size, and geographic location strongly influenced stink bug damage. Landscapes with larger forest edge in southern portions of the mid-Atlantic region experienced the greatest damage, perhaps owing to the introduction of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. We conclude that landscape structure will likely influence damage rates in nearby agricultural fields.

Spatial distribution of insect guilds in a tropical montane rainforest: effects of canopy structure and numerically dominant ants

Insect guild abundance and species richness responses to numerically dominant ant species, seasonality, and canopy structure were analysed in a successional montane tropical rainforest. Samples were taken in wet and dry seasons at three sites that had been subject to different past land use (low, intermediate, and high disturbance) and have been protected since 1967. We took two habitat scales (isolated tree crowns and canopy segments) and three categories for numerically dominant ants (presence of only one, or more than one species, or absence of dominant ant). Our results show that the larger the crown is, the bigger the chance to find herbivores is. Total insect species abundance, sap-sucking species richness, and prey abundance were higher in the low disturbance site, where the largest crowns were found, but simpler canopies showed the greatest frequency of dominant ants, and the lowest abundance of chewing insects. Sap-sucking species were more abundant in the low disturbance site, but mostly on crowns with dominant ant species. Dominant ant abundance was higher, and leaf-chewer species abundance was lower, in the high disturbance site. At the canopy scale, sap-sucking and prey species abundance and richness were higher in the low disturbance site, where canopy heterogeneity was the greatest, whereas leaf-chewers did not respond to disturbance at all. Sap-sucking species abundance was higher in areas with a simple ant species dominance. This is the first work to show how canopy insects are concomitantly affected by numerically dominant ants and canopy structure in this Atlantic rainforest ecosystem.

Colonization of Solidago altissima by the specialist aphid Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum: effects of genetic identity and leaf chemistry.

In dominant old-field plant species, genotypic variation in traits important for herbivorous insects may explain variation in insect species abundance. While the importance of plant genetic identity on arthropod abundance has been demonstrated, specific factors that drive genotype choice by insects remain largely unknown. Sixteen genotypes of the widely distributed plant species Solidago altissima were used to investigate the possible role of nutrients and terpene secondary metabolites in shaping the abundance of a common specialist aphid, Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum. Ramets were propagated in a greenhouse and then transferred to a natural field setting. After 76 days, aphid abundance was quantified and leaf tissue assayed for nutrients and terpenes. Aphids/g plant biomass significantly differed among genotypes, with a 30-fold difference observed among plant genotypes. Leaf nitrogen, C:N ratio and water did not vary among genotypes. Of eight terpenes quantified, five were influenced by plant genotype. Aphid abundance increased marginally with the concentration of the monoterpene β-pinene in leaf tissue (P = 0.056). A partial least squares analysis determined that nutritional chemicals did not explain aphid responses, while 49% of the variation in aphid colonization among genotypes was explained by terpenes. This study is one of the first to demonstrate that variation in allelochemicals may be related to differences in the abundance of a key herbivore among genotypes of a plant species that exhibits large intraspecific genetic variation.

Relative Abundance and Diversity of Insect Species on Nine Genotypes of Pepper (Capsicum spp.) Grown under Field Conditions in Ghana

Aim: To identify the different types and relative abundance of insect species on the nine genotypes of pepper, as a guide to instituting control measures against unacceptable crop damage. Study Design: The experimental treatments were deployed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Place and Duration of Study: Nuclear Agriculture Research Center (NARC) farms and the laboratories of Radiation Entomology and Pest Management Center (REPMC) of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI). The study was conducted during JuneOctober, 2011. Methodology: Seeds of the nine pepper genotypes (Anloga, Antillas, Archard, Big Sun, Bombardier, Forever F1, Legon 18, Poivron California Wonder (PCW) and Sunny F1) were sown in Original Research Article Ofori et al.; AJEA, 5(1): 18-28, 2015; Article no. AJEA.2015.003 19 a nursery and transplanted 35 days after germination to an experimental plot measuring 40 m x 11.4 m in the centre of one acre area such that the experimental plot was surrounded by a homogeneously managed terrain. The experimental treatments were deployed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Each replicate was allotted a plot size of 12 m x 11.4 m. Each replicate was subdivided into nine sub-plots, with each sub-plot planted to one genotype consisting of 30 plants at a spacing of 0.8 m x 0.6m. Plots were separated by a distance of 2 m. Random sampling technique was used on weekly basis to study the relative abundance, diversity and behaviour of the insect species on the genotypes. Results: Thirteen different insect species were identified from the vegetative through to the maturity stage with relative abundance ranging from 0.04– 54.29%. The highest number of insects were found on the genotypes Forever F1 (26.2%) and Anloga (25.9%). Legon 18 and Sunny F1 registered the highest diversity of insect species, while PCW, Big Sun and Forever F1 recorded the least diversity. Aphis craccivora (Koch) (Hemiptera, Aphididae) was the most dominant pests sampled on four genotypes (Anloga, Antillas, Forever F1 and Legon 18) of the nine pepper genotypes. Similarly, Camponotus sp. was the most dominant predator on the pepper genotype Archard. For the rest of the genotypes, there were no significant difference (P=.05) in mean number of insects sampled per genotype. Three mutualistic insects namely Camponotus sp., Cheilomenes lunata (Fabricius) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) and A. craccivora were sampled on the pepper genotypes. The degree of association between any of these is displayed in Table 4. Mean number of C. lunata was highly significantly correlated (P=.01) with that of A. craccivora. Conclusion: The high abundance of insect pests in the study area coupled with the pest status of the majority (53.28%) necessitates control measures to prevent economic loss during commercial cultivation in the area. Further work needs to be done on designing a friendly IPM strategy for the major insects encountered in the study so that crop loss due to insect pest infestation can be minimized.

Preliminary Studies of Insect Diversity and Abundance on Twelve Accessions of Tomato, Solanum lycopersicon L. Grown in a Coastal Savannah Agro Ecological Zone

The relative abundance and diversity of insect species were studied for three months, between the months of June and August 2013 on twelve different accessions of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission’s Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) farm. The main objectives of the study were to determine the insect diversity and the relative abundance of the insect species on twelve tomato accessions. The field was divided into four replicates each containing twelve different accessions of tomato coded V1, through to V12. In general, there was lower abundance of insect species across tomato accessions. The study revealed higher abundance of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera, Aleyroidae) on accession V11 followed by V1 with V6 having the least number. Bemisia tabaci accounted for 95.5% of the insect counts. Low diversity of insect species was observed across the field of study. B. tabaci, Omocestus viridulus, (Linnaeus) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and Psylla mali (Schmidb) (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) were observed to occur on all the accessions. Accessions V6 and V11 have the highest diversity of insects while accession V3 has the least diversity. The other major insect pests such as Aphis craccivora (Koch) (Hemiptera, Aphididae), Phenacoccus sp., Podagrica sp. and Zonocerus variegatus (Linnaeus) (Orthoptera, Pyrgomorphidae) recorded very low percentages. The highest record of insect pests was recorded at the fruiting stage of the plant’s development. Fourteen different insect species were recorded giving an indication of the species diversity of the farm.

The role of preadaptations or evolutionary novelties for the evolution of sexually deceptive orchids.

The role of preadaptations or evolutionary novelties for the evolution of sexually deceptive orchids.

Diversity and abundance of insect species at Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve, Selangor

A study was conducted on the diversity and abundance of insect species at Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve in order to determine the richness of the forest insect fauna. A total of 774 insects from 13 Orders and 79 Families were recorded. This study shows that Coleoptera (42.63%), Hymenoptera (17.96%), Diptera (10.08%) and Orthoptera (10.85%) were the most dominant Orders in the Forest Reserve. The highest insect diversity was observed in Diptera (Shannon’s, H’ = 2.67), while Dermaptera, Isoptera, Mantodea and Phasmatodea (Shannon’s, H’ = 0.00) were the lowest. However, the highest insect evenness was observed in Blattodea (Evenness, E = 0.36). This study also found that the abundance of insects in Kembit zone was the highest (Margalef index, = 8.51) compared to other zone sites.

On numerical uncertainty in evaluation of pest population size

Obtaining reliable estimates of pest insect species abundance is an essential part of ecological monitoring programs. It is often the case that data available for obtaining such estimates are sparse which in turn makes achieving an accurate evaluation difficult. This is especially true for strongly heterogeneous pest population density distributions. In our paper we discuss the accuracy of a mean density estimate when a certain class of high aggregation density distributions is considered and a standard statistical method is employed to handle sparse sampled data. It will be shown in the paper that conventional conclusions about the accuracy of the pest population size evaluation do not work when the data are sparse and a new approach is required. Namely, if the number of traps is small, an estimate of the mean density becomes a random variable with an error of high magnitude and we have to compute the probability of an accurate estimate rather than computing the estimate itself. We have obtained a probability of an accurate estimate based on the assumption that only one trap falls within a sub-domain where the pest population density is different from zero. The probability has been calculated for the one-dimensional and the two-dimensional problem.

A comparison of insect fruit utilization of Carissa (Carissa edulis Vahl) and Jasmine (Jasminum dichotomum Vahl) in a protected habitat

Flowering plants and insects dominate the flora and fauna of earth's land surface and interactions between them are dominant elements of the terrestrial ecosystems. This study, determined the insect fruit utilizers of the plants Carissa and Jasmine. The study further compared the two plant species in terms of the diversity of insect fruit utilizers and their frequency of visits. Data was collected in the Amurum Forest Reserve, north central Nigeria, between June and July 2011 through video recordings to identify the insect species and their frequency and duration of visits on the two plants. A total of 322 individual insects spread across 20 species were recorded during the study. C. edulis had the highest diversity and abundance of insect species as compared to J. dichotomum. Thirteen insect species were observed exclusively on C. edulis while 3 insect species were exclusive to J. dichotomum. Insect species diversity and frequency of visits differed significantly between the two study plants in favour of C. edulis. The insect family Formicidae was the most common on both plant species. 99.7% of individuals were observed foraging on the fruits of the two plants while only one individual insect (i.e. 0.31%) exhibited perching behaviour.

Avian haemosporidians in haematophagous insects in the Czech Republic

The degree to which avian haemosporidian parasites can exploit different vectors as a definitive host has ecological implications for their transmission and biogeography. Studies targeting haemosporidian parasites using precise molecular detection methods are almost lacking in Central Europe, however. Here, we utilized PCR-based molecular methods to detect avian haemosporidians in insect vectors in the Czech Republic. Nine lineages of parasites belonging to three genera, Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon, were detected in pooled samples of insect individuals, of which three lineages had not yet been discovered in previous studies. All three Leucocytozoon lineages were found exclusively in black flies, while five Haemoproteus lineages were found in biting midges. The most abundant insect species Culicoides kibunensis harbored three Haemoproteus lineages, and the second-most numerous species Culicoides segnis even four. The positive mosquitoes of Culex pipiens complex hosted two parasite lineages, one Plasmodium and one Haemoproteus, the latter of which, however, could suggest the aberrant development of this parasite in an unusual invertebrate host. The co-occurrence of Haemoproteus ROFI1 and TURDUS2 lineages in both insects and birds at the same study plot suggests a transmission of these lineages during breeding season of birds.

Insect population distribution and density estimates in a large rice mill in Portugal – A pilot study

The objectives of this study were to characterize the spatial distribution of the most abundant insect species identified in the rice plant, optimize the sampling program, develop and validate a fixed-precision enumerative sequential sampling plan for the key pests Sitophilus spp. in the rice industry in Portugal. Experiments were carried out from September 2005 to July 2007, using 25 pitfall traps baited with food grade oil and pheromone specific for Sitophilus spp. The traps were observed weekly and the insects were identified and counted. Several species were found but Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilus oryzae were the most abundant (90% of the total) followed by Tribolium castaneum. Taylor's power law parameters, from the regression of log variance versus log mean, suggest an aggregated distribution for Sitophilus spp. and T. castaneum. A fixed-precision sequential sampling plan was developed for Sitophilus spp., using Green's fixed precisions sampling plan and the Resampling Validation of Sampling Plan, with an action threshold of 0.5 Sitophilus spp. The sampling plan was designed to provide precision levels of 0.20, 0.25 (for pest management purposes), 0.30 and 0.35. The current sample size raised a precision of 0.30, and an increase of the number of traps to 37 would be needed to achieve the desirable precision of 0.25. This fixed-precision sequential sampling plan for Sitophilus spp. populations in rice is demonstrated to be a useful tool in IPM tactics at rice facilities.

Similarity and difference among rainforest fruit‐feeding butterfly communities in Central and South America

1. Documenting species abundance distributions in natural environments is critical to ecology and conservation biology. Tropical forest insect faunas vary in space and time, and these partitions can differ in their contribution to overall species diversity. 2. In the Neotropics, the Central American butterfly fauna is best known in terms of general natural history, but butterfly community diversity is best documented by studies on South American fruit-feeding butterflies. Here, we present the first long-term study of fruit-feeding nymphalid species diversity from Central America and provide a unique comparison between Central and South American butterfly communities. 3. This study used 60 months of sampling among multiple spatial and temporal partitions to assess species diversity in a Costa Rican rainforest butterfly community. Abundance distributions varied significantly at the species and higher taxonomic group levels, and canopy and understorey samples were found to be composed of distinct species assemblages. 4. Strong similarities in patterns of species diversity were found between this study and one from Ecuador; yet, there was an important difference in how species richness was distributed in vertical space. In contrast to the Ecuadorian site, Costa Rica had significantly higher canopy richness and lower understorey richness. 5. This study affirms that long-term sampling is vital to understanding tropical insect species abundance distributions and points to potential differences in vertical structure among Central and South American forest insect communities that need to be explored.

Spatial Associations of Insects and Mites in Stored Wheat

The spatial association pattern of insect and mite populations in a steel bin containing stored wheat, Triticum durum Desf., in central Greece, was studied using the Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE). The monitoring was carried out for 7 mo by using grain trier samples and probe traps. The most abundant insect species were Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). For mites, the most abundant species were the phytophagous Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank) (Acari: Glycyphagidae) and the predator Blattisocius tarsalis (Berlese) (Mesostigmata: Ascidae). Both for P. interpunctella and C. ferrugineus, trap catches were associated with numbers of individuals in the trier samples, but the overall association index calculated among trap and sample counts was significant only in the 33% of trap-sample pairs of values. Generally, P. interpunctella had the main patch areas in the central part of the bin, with few exceptions, during the entire monitoring period. Similar trends also were noted in the case of C. ferrugineus, which was clearly aggregated in the center of the grain mass. Spatial association maps indicated a stable positive association in the central part of the bin, but in most of the other sampling zones the association was negative. However, distribution of L. destructor, based on trier samples, indicated increased presence in peripheral zones of the grain sampling area. Moreover, B. tarsalis presented the most dispersed distribution among all four species. For each species, the association between two consecutive samplings was significant in the majority of cases, indicating a stable spatial pattern. Finally, B. tarsalis was spatially associated to a higher degree with the insects found rather than with L. desctructor. Moreover, there was no association of insect and mite presence with grain temperature and moisture content. The results of the current study suggest that the coexistence of insects and mites in bulked grain follows a complex pattern, with significant interactions, especially in the case of mite predators, which are spatially associated with insect species.

Nestedness of insect assemblages on small Bahamian islands: importance of spatial processes

Abstract. 1. Ecological assemblages frequently show nestedness patterns of species distribution. Despite the common occurrence, the causality for nestedness patterns remains unclear. The effects of environmental and spatial factors on the patterns of insect species distributions were examined on 28 small islands in central Exuma, Bahamas.2. Flying insects on each island were surveyed by Malaise traps, island area and vegetation height being used as environmental factors, and the degree of island isolation as a spatial factor. Body and relative wing length, and abundance of insect species were also considered as species traits which, together with environmental and spatial factors, determine insect distributions.3. Island isolation was determined from distance to the mainland, greatest distance in a stepping‐stone pathway, distance to the nearest island, and the island area within 250, 500 and 1000 m of each island’s perimeter.4. The pattern of island‐insect nestedness was examined for the overall insect assemblage and those of five dominant insect orders on the islands. The order of island ranking in the nested matrix was tested relative to area, isolation and vegetation height, the rank order of insect species then being examined relative to body and wing length, and abundance of species.5. Significant nestedness was found in all assemblages. Significant contributions of environmental factors were found in Diptera and Hemiptera assemblages, whereas relatively large contributions of spatial factors were found in Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera assemblages. These results illustrated the need to include spatial factors in analyses on the assembly of insular insect assemblages.

Do Eucalyptus plantations host an insect community similar to remnant Eucalyptus forest?

Abstract We examined the potential of forest plantations to support communities of forest-using insects when planted into an area with greatly reduced native forest cover. We surveyed the insect fauna of Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) plantations and native Eucalyptus marginata dominated remnant woodland in south-western Australia, comparing edge to interior habitats, and plantations surrounded by a pastoral matrix to plantations adjacent to native remnants. We also surveyed insects in open pasture. Analyses focused on three major insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. Plantations were found to support many forest-using insect species, but the fauna had an overall composition that was distinct from the remnant forest. The pasture fauna had more in common with plantations than forest remnants. Insect communities of plantations were different from native forest both because fewer insect species were present, and because they had a few more abundant insect species. Some of the dominant species in plantations were known forestry pests. One pest species (Gonipterus scutellatus) was also very abundant in remnant forest, although it was only recently first recorded in Western Australia. It may be that plantation forestry provided an ecological bridge that facilitated invasion of the native forest by this nonendemic pest species. Plantation communities had more leaf-feeding moths and beetles than remnant forests. Plantations also had fewer ants, bees, evanioid wasps and predatory canopy beetles than remnants, but predatory beetles were more common in the understory of plantations than remnants. Use of broad spectrum insecticides in plantations might limit the ability of these natural enemies to regulate herbivore populations. There were only weak indications of differences in composition of the fauna at habitat edges and no consistent differences between the fauna of plantations adjacent to remnant vegetation and those surrounded by agriculture, suggesting that there is little scope for managing biodiversity outcomes by choosing different edge to interior ratios or by locating plantations near or far from remnants.

Stored-Product Insects Associated with Eight Feed Mills in the Midwestern United States

Commercial food- and pheromone-baited pitfall traps and pheromone-baited sticky traps were used during 2003 to survey stored-product insect adults in eight participating feed mills in the midwestern United States. Across the eight feed mills, 27 species of beetles (Coleoptera) and three species of moths (Lepidoptera) were captured in commercial traps. The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), was the most abundant insect species captured inside the eight mills. The warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variabile (Ballion), was the most abundant insect species outside the mill and in the mill load-out area. The Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), was the most abundant moth species inside the mill and in the mill receiving area. The Simpson's index of species diversity among mills ranged from 0.39 (low diversity) to 0.81 (high diversity). The types of species found among mills were different, as indicated by a Morisita's index of <0.7, for the majority of mills. The differences in the types and numbers of insect species captured inside, outside, in receiving, and in load-out areas could be related to differences in the types of animal feeds produced and the degree of sanitation and pest management practiced.

Landscape-controlled chemistry variation affects communities and ecosystem function in headwater streams

We show that benthic freshwater communities of naturally acidic streams in boreal catchments differ depending on properties of the surrounding landscape. Although low pH usually is associated with negative impacts on species diversity and ecosystem function, here decomposition by insects and microbes as well as the abundance of leaf-eating insects were generally high at low pH and at humic sites influenced by mire-dominated compared with forest-dominated surroundings. Moreover, in situ growth experiments showed that the survival of two of the most abundant insect species was higher when they originated from mire-influenced sites, underscoring their tolerance to low pH. However, species diversity generally increased with pH and was greater at forest-influenced than at mire-influenced sites. Although less diverse, acidic and humic streams proved to be functional and supported distinct macroinvertebrate assemblages. Diversity and function in naturally acidic streams are apparently greatly influenced by the prevailing kinds of landscape-driven influences on water chemistry. In conclusion, well-known negative impacts of anthropogenic acidity on diversity and function may not apply to naturally acidic systems that are chemically and biologically heterogeneous.

Effects of Biological Soil Crust on Desert Insect Diversity: Evidence from the Tengger Desert of Northern China

Biological soil crusts are widespread in arid and semiarid regions. They are one of the major components of desert ecosystems, and their importance has been demonstrated by numerous researchers. However, little research has been carried out on the relationship between biological soil crusts and the diversity of desert insects. In this study, psammophilous Caragana korshinskii-Artemisia ordosica communities occurring on semifixed dunes and fixed dunes in the Shapotou region at the southeastern fringe of the Tengger desert are investigated. Observation sample plots and the survey quadrats were arranged in the vegetation areas with different types and coverage of biological soil crusts. The insects were surveyed in 10 m × 10 m quadrats and caught by a sampling frame and net-trap methods. The insect number was recorded and samples were collected for identification. The results show that as compared to the un-crusted vegetation area, the presence of biological soil crusts in the Tengger desert significantly increases the diversity and abundance of insect species. Diversity and abundance in the quadrats mainly covered by moss and lichen crusts are significantly higher than those in the quadrats mainly covered by cyanobacteria and algal crusts. The contribution of biological soil crusts to the diversity of insect species may be attributed to the stabilized soil surface providing suitable habitats and some food sources for the insects.

Spatiotemporal Distribution of Insects and Mites in Horizontally Stored Wheat

Samples were taken from a flat storage facility located in central Greece, filled with approximately 45 tons of hard wheat, to assess the spatiotemporal distribution of stored-product insects and mites. The wheat was stored in a 1.5-m-deep bulk from June 2001 until March 2002. The samples were taken with a partitioned grain trier during the entire storage period, at 10-d intervals. The trier samples were examined separately for the upper, medial, and lower 0.5 m of the bulk. The spatial distribution of the insect and mite species found was examined by contour analysis based on the numbers of individuals in the trier samples. Nine insect and 20 mite taxa were found during the sampling period. The most abundant insect species were Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.); the most abundant mite species were Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank), Acarus siro L., and the predator Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans. The highest population densities for the majority of the insect and mite species were recorded during autumn. The majority of the individuals of the most abundant insect and mite species were found in the upper 0.5 m of the bulk, with the exception of C. malaccensis, which was equally distributed in the upper and medial 0.5 m of the bulk. The spatiotemporal distribution during the entire experimental period was notably varied according to the insect and mite species.

Do Eucalyptus plantations host an insect community similar to remnant Eucalyptus forest?

Abstract We examined the potential of forest plantations to support communities of forest‐using insects when planted into an area with greatly reduced native forest cover. We surveyed the insect fauna of Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) plantations and native Eucalyptus marginata dominated remnant woodland in south‐western Australia, comparing edge to interior habitats, and plantations surrounded by a pastoral matrix to plantations adjacent to native remnants. We also surveyed insects in open pasture. Analyses focused on three major insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera. Plantations were found to support many forest‐using insect species, but the fauna had an overall composition that was distinct from the remnant forest. The pasture fauna had more in common with plantations than forest remnants. Insect communities of plantations were different from native forest both because fewer insect species were present, and because they had a few more abundant insect species. Some of the dominant species in plantations were known forestry pests. One pest species (Gonipterus scutellatus) was also very abundant in remnant forest, although it was only recently first recorded in Western Australia. It may be that plantation forestry provided an ecological bridge that facilitated invasion of the native forest by this nonendemic pest species. Plantation communities had more leaf‐feeding moths and beetles than remnant forests. Plantations also had fewer ants, bees, evanioid wasps and predatory canopy beetles than remnants, but predatory beetles were more common in the understory of plantations than remnants. Use of broad spectrum insecticides in plantations might limit the ability of these natural enemies to regulate herbivore populations. There were only weak indications of differences in composition of the fauna at habitat edges and no consistent differences between the fauna of plantations adjacent to remnant vegetation and those surrounded by agriculture, suggesting that there is little scope for managing biodiversity outcomes by choosing different edge to interior ratios or by locating plantations near or far from remnants.