Fruit Feeding Research Articles

Complementary feeding practices and nutritional status in infants living in Turkey: Iowa infant feeding attitude scale and complementary feeding index.

Although complementary feeding (CF) and maternal attitudes towards infant feeding are known to affect the nutritional status of infants during the neonatal period, studies in this field remain limited. The present study aimed to determine CF practices for infants aged 6-12 months who live in Turkey and maternal attitudes towards infant feeding. In addition, the effects of CF practices and maternal attitudes on the nutritional status of infants were examined. This study included 720 infants, of whom 289 were aged 6-8 months and 431 were aged 9-12 months. CF status was assessed using the CF index (CFI), and maternal attitudes towards infant feeding were measured using the Iowa infant feeding attitude scale (IIFAS). The weight and length measurements of infants were categorized using z-scores. Infants with weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) and weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) of less than -2 standard deviation were categorized as malnourished. Mothers of malnourished infants were found to have lower CFI and IIFAS scores (p < 0.05). Consistency of fruit feeding and complementary foods in the first 3 days of CF was associated with WAZ. The mothers' level of knowledge about CF and appropriate CF practices significantly affects the nutritional status of infants. The tools used in the present study to monitor CF practices should be incorporated into public health programmes.

Eat the fruit earlier: Sakis (Pithecia chrysocephala) show enhanced temporal fruit resource access compared with squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) in an urban forest fragment in Brazil.

Fruit availability experienced by different primate species is likely to vary due to species-specific fruit use, even within the same habitat and timeframe. Pitheciines, primates of the subfamily Pitheciinae, particularly favor the seeds of unripe fruits. Researchers consider this dietary characteristic an adaptation to increase access to fruit resources. However, the relative advantages of pitheciines over sympatric non-pitheciine non-seed-eating primates regarding species-specific fruit availability is not well studied. In a 26-ha forest within the city of Manaus, Amazonian Brazil, we assessed the wild-food feeding behavior of free-ranging groups of golden-faced sakis (Pithecia chrysocephala) and sympatric common squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). We hypothesized that sakis would have greater and more consistent access to wild fruit due to (1) a wider variety of fruit species in their diet, and (2) longer consumption periods per fruit species. We recorded the plant species, part (pulp or seed), and developmental stage (ripe or unripe) of wild fruit consumed by both species. We also conducted monthly fruit censuses of 1000 trees and vines to estimate overall wild fruit abundance. As an indicator of fruit availability, we calculated the proportion of available fruiting trees and vines for each primate species separately based on their observed diet. Throughout the year, the proportion of available trees and vines was significantly higher and more temporally stable for sakis than for squirrel monkeys. This was because sakis used shared fruit species longer than squirrel monkeys by consuming both ripe and unripe fruit. Although sakis had a broader fruit repertoire than squirrel monkeys, it did not contribute to the higher fruit availability. Thus, the fruit feeding system of sakis identifies aspects of a niche that is less restricted in the timing of fruit consumption, which led to a relative advantage in fruit availability.

Induction of Resistance by Organic and Micro Nutrients against Bhendi Shoot and Fruit Borer Earias vittella Fab.

Bhendi Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Moench), is an economically and largely cultivated vegetable crop in India. Bhendi is susceptible to the attack of various insects from seedling to fruiting stage. Bhendi shoot and fruit borer, E. vittella is most serious pests which cause direct damage to tender shoots and fruits. The present study was undertaken to analyses the role of organic and micro nutrients in enhancing insect resistance in the selected bhendi accessions. With regard to the influence of organic nutrients on the feeding preference of E. vittella, plants supplied with vermicompost was less preferred. With regard to the influence of micronutrients on resistance in bhendi accessions, manganese applied plants recorded the minimum damage caused by E. vittella larvae in fruit feeding preference tests. The data these obtained by various experiments conducted were statistically using factorial randomized block design (FRBD).

The Effect of Nephelium lappaceum Fruit Flesh on Growth Dynamics for Catla catla Fish (Labeo catla, Hamilton 1822) Fingerlings

Globally, aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing industries. Feeding management of fish plays an important role in the efficient and successful culture of fish and provides essential nutrients for the optimum growth of fish, which leads to success in commercial aquaculture. There is a need for enhanced feed efficiency and growth performance in cultured freshwater fish species. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Nephelium lappaceum fruit feed supplementation on the growth performance of Catla fish, Studies were continued, for 60 days. The observations made on Nephelium lappaceum fruit (1, 2, and 3 percentage of feed) supplementation of experimental fish showed significantly increased body weight, length, weight gain, and SGR, while FCR was significantly decreased compared with the control diet. The higher SGR values suggest its growth potential, and the lower value of FCR indicates the high efficiency of the experimental culture fish. The study suggests that the Nephelium lappaceum fruit diet, which is more effective, promotes Catla catla fish growth and can be used as an alternative to commercial feed for Catla catla fingerlings.

Effects of food availability and its seasonal changes on the dietary habits of wild silvery lutungs (Trachypithecus cristatus) in a coastal forest in west Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract The dietary composition of primates is often affected by the availability of food, as well as seasonal variations within their habitat. This study presents quantitative data on the feeding behavior of wild silvery lutungs (Trachypithecus cristatus) inhabiting a coastal forest in West Sumatra, Indonesia. This research emphasizes the relationship between food availability and the way this changes by season. Feeding strategies of these primates was also examined. Feeding behavior of a group of wild silvery lutungs was observed for 12 months from August 2018 to July 2019, with a total observation time of 482 hours. We recorded 74 items from 37 different plant species that were included in the lutungs’ diet. Nineteen out of 37 plant species comprised &gt; 1% of the lutung’s annual diet. They can therefore be considered the main plant food sources for the lutungs. The lutungs mainly fed on young leaves (68.3%). However, during certain months, both ripe and unripe fruit formed a major part of their diet. Plant part-based analyses showed a negative correlation between the availability of young leaves and ripe fruit feeding. Plant species-based analyses revealed few significant positive relationships between the feeding percentages of the main dietary items (mainly young leaves) and their availability. This implies that young leaves and ripe fruit were both the preferred and the fallback foods. This also indicates that lutung activity, ranging patterns, and activity at the study site are affected mainly by food distribution and availability. Further research is needed to increase the understanding of Asian colobine feeding strategies, feeding patterns, and food resource characteristics.

Sensor-based Automated Continuous Grader for Spherical Fruits

Weight grading is capable of more scrupulous separation than dimensional grading and reduces labor cost, damage, time, and power demand and also improves grading efficiency and accuracy. Hence a low-cost sensor-based grader for spherical fruits was developed and evaluated. The developed grader comprises of fruit feeding tray, fruit controlling shaft with gate arrangement, Electronic Control Unit (ECU), mainframe, belt conveyor, power transmission system, and collection baskets. The ECU consists of a load cell to sense the weight of the fruit, an amplifier to amplify the sensor data, a microcontroller to process the sensor signal and activate the corresponding motor and servo motors to push the fruit towards the basket by activating lever mounted on it. The machine is capable of weighing and grading the fruits into four different grades (grade I: >150 g, grade II: 130–150 g, grade III: 110–130 g and grade IV: <110 g), however, the grades can be altered as per the need by uploading in the program via USB cable. The grader was evaluated in terms of efficiency of grading, capacity and mechanical damage to the fruits at grader speeds of 3, 4, 5, and 6 rpm, respectively. The capacity of grader varied from 47.32 to 156.13 kg/h under different grader speeds. The developed grader is easy to operate and it doesn’t require skilled persons. It can be used for any spherical fruits and varying grades by changing the threshold values in the controller.

Alluring restoration strategies to attract seed‐dispersing animals need more rigorous testing

Abstract In a recently published paper, Silva et al. conclude that placing fruit feeders (induced seed dispersal) in restored tropical forests serves to enrich the diversity of animal species and seeds in recovering forests and therefore is a cost‐effective tropical forest restoration strategy. We argue that due to poor experimental design and choice of response variables measured, the data presented do not provide rigorous support that induced seed dispersal enhances tropical forest recovery. The authors present data on animal visitation to two fruit feeders in a single 7‐year old restoration site in the Brazilian Atlantic forest over a 2‐year period. Their study has no replication and lacks no‐intervention controls with which to compare the effect of this restoration strategy. These experimental design shortcomings prevent them from demonstrating the efficacy of fruit feeders for attracting animals or enriching vegetation recovery. Like many faunal attraction studies, Silva et al. (2020) do not present any data on seedling recruitment; such data are needed to demonstrate that restoration strategies enhance vegetation recovery. Nor do they provide cost estimates for induced seed dispersal as compared to other empirically supported restoration strategies. Synthesis and applications. Promoting enticing restoration methods to attract animals into a restoration site without rigorous data to support the value added of such strategies for enhancing faunal abundance and forest vegetation recruitment has the potential to misguide the investments of scarce restoration resources. We recommend standards for evaluating novel restoration methods to determine whether they are cost‐effective approaches to include in the diverse toolbox needed to meet ambitious global forest restoration targets.

Comparison of mineral content of cuscus manure fertilizer and its trial results on the growth of Setaria sphacelata

This study aims to determine the mineral content of cuscus’ manure and its utilization on the growth of Setaria spachelata grass. The study was designed with a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 treatments (control / P0; cuscus manure from banana fruit feed / P1; and cuscus manure from avocado / P2) and 5 replications. The dose of organic fecal fertilizer for cuscus, 40 grams / polybag. The setaria seedlings used were adult poles measuring 20 cm, which were planted in polybags measuring 30 x 15 cm and weighing 5 kg of soil. The results showed that there were differences content in manure mineral among the types of fruit eaten as feed. Furthermore, its use on setaria grass was able to increase its growth, namely plant height, number of leaves and number of tillers, the control treatment was significantly different from treatment P1 and P2 (P <0.05), but between P1 and P2 did not show any differences. Plant height ranges from 35.10-39.10 cm, the number of leaves is 71-101, while the number of tillers is 13-21 tillers per polybag. The cuscus manure has the potential as organic fertilizer.

Molecular Advances in Larval Fruit Moth Identification to Facilitate Fruit Export From Western United States Under Systems Approaches

AbstractMolecular advances facilitate fruit export by improving rapid pest diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and advanced sequencing technology. Improved pest detection provides timely certification of the quarantine pest-free status in the commodity being exported, avoiding unnecessary commodity treatment. The U.S.–Japan Systems Approach to export fresh cherries from the Western United States that targets the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is used as an example. Suspect codling moth larvae interdicted at cherry packing houses are distinguished by PCR from other internal fruit moth larvae such as the oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); lesser appleworm, G. prunivora (Walsh) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); cherry fruitworm, G. packardi (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); and filbertworm, Cydia latiferreana (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Identification is confirmed by sequencing the amplicon of a 301 bp region of the COI gene produced by PCR of the DNA from a suspect moth and comparing this sequence of COI gene sequences of other internal fruit feeders of pome fruit. This sequence comparison results in unambiguous pest identification. These findings are discussed in the context of systems approach research to meet evolving needs of phytosanitary requirements for global export of fruits.

Detection of Fruit Meals Within Laboratory-Raised and Field-Trapped Adult Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Guts

The feeding habits of adult Brachycera are understudied and may provide important context for understanding invasive pest biology, as with the polyphagous small fruit pestDrosophila suzukii. We developed molecular methods to study adultD. suzukiigut content in order to understand its feeding habits. We designed and verified two primer pairs specific for either blueberries or blackberries and used a qPCR melt curve analysis to determine whether we can detect the presence or absence of berry feeding by adult flies. In a laboratory assay, the blueberry fly meal DNA can be detected for longer periods than the blackberry meal DNA. Generally, female gut contents are less variable than male gut contents. We also tested recently emerged flies that were not fed as adults but developed as larvae in either blueberries or blackberries. Some adult flies from each fruit had detectable fruit DNA in their gut, which could be due to pupal meconium feeding after emergence. Next, we aimed to test the primers in the field to develop techniques to track fruit feeding byD. suzukiiin its natural field environment. First, to identify the most appropriate collection method, we determined how long we could detect fruit DNA, using previously developed primers withinD. suzukiigut preserved in four types of trap fluid in the laboratory. The likelihood of detecting blackberry DNA differed by day, trap fluid, and between sexes. For the blueberry primer, the possibility of detecting blueberry DNA differed by trap fluid only. Based on those results, we used RV antifreeze with a Scentry SWD lure in field trials at two research station locations, one containing blackberries and one with blueberries. We established transects away from each fruit planting and collected up to 120 total flies at each point along transects. There were no significant differences in the number of flies containing berry DNA among collection points along the transect in both locations. These results suggest that adult flies move between crop and non-crop habitats and may not be highly dependent on fruit food resources.

Phylogenetic analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome of the graphic beauty butterfly Baeotus beotus (Doubleday 1849) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Nymphalinae: Coeini)

The graphic beauty butterfly Baeotus beotus (Doubleday 1849) (Nymphalidae: Coeini) is a rare fruit feeding species that inhabits humid tropical forests in Central and South America. Genome skimming by Illumina sequencing allowed assembly of a complete circular mitogenome of 15,131 bp from B. beotus consisting of 80.4% AT nucleotides, 22 tRNAs, 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNAs and a control region in the typical butterfly gene order. Baeotus beotus COX1 features an atypical CGA start codon and COX1, COX2, ND1, and ND4 exhibit incomplete stop codons completed by the addition of 3’ A residues to the mRNA. Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction places B. beotus as sister to Cyrestis thyodamas (Cyrestini), which is consistent with previous phylogenetic hypotheses.

The resilient frugivorous fauna of an urban forest fragment and its potential role in vegetation enrichment.

Anthropocentric defaunation affects critical ecological processes, such as seed dispersal, putting ecosystems and biomes at risk, and leading to habitat impoverishment. Diverse restoration techniques could reverse the process of habitat impoverishment. However, in most of the restoration efforts, only vegetation cover is targeted. Fauna and flora are treated as isolated components, neglecting a key component of ecosystems’ functioning, the ecological interactions. We tested whether the resilient frugivorous generalist fauna can improve habitat quality by dispersing native plant species through the use of fruit feeders as in a semideciduous seasonal urban forest fragment. A total of 32 sampling points was selected at a heavily degraded 251-ha urban forest fragment, with feeders installed at two heights monitored by camera-traps. Variable quantities of native fruits of 27 zoochorous species were offered alternately in the feeders. Based on more than 36,000 h of video records, Turdus leucomelas (Class Aves), Sapajus nigritus (Class Mammalia), and Salvator merianae (Class Reptilia) were recorded ingesting the highest fruit species richness. Didelphis albiventris (Class Mammalia) was the most frequent visitor but consumed only pulp in most of the visits. The frugivorous birds were recorded at a high visitation rate and consumed a wider variety of fruits. Our study opens a new avenue to combine the traditional approach of ecosystems recovery and ecological interactions restauration in an urban forest fragment.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11252-020-01080-5.

Dietary Habits of Free-ranging Banded Langur (Presbytis femoralis) in a Secondary-human Modified Forest in Johor, Malaysia.

Banded langurs, Presbytis femoralis, are distributed in southern Peninsular Malaysia, i.e., Johor and its borders including Singapore. It has been estimated that there are only < 250 mature individuals of P. femoralis in Malaysia and Singapore, and the species is currently considered Critically Endangered. The dietary information of P. femoralis and even other closely related species has rarely been reported. This study, therefore, aimed to describe the species dietary habits and discuss interaction between their feeding behaviour and its surrounding. This study was conducted from February to November 2018, with 15 sampling days each month. We collected a total of 186 sighting hours, using a scan sampling method with 10-min intervals, on a five-langur focal group. We identified 29 species based on 47 items consumed by the banded langur, mostly young leaves (51%) followed by fruits (45%), and flowers (3.8%). The study group spent slightly more time consuming non-cultivated plants but relied on cultivated plants for the fruits. Over 75% of fruit feeding involved consuming cultivar plants; in most cases (73%), they ate only the pulp, not the seeds. Since the cultivated plants were planted in human settlement, there is an urgent need to implement conservation measures to untangle the human-langur conflicts-for instance, reforestation of a buffer region using non-cultivated plants. There is a potential to build upon our new findings with more detailed investigations, such as more extensive ecological factors influencing the dietary adaptation which would be necessary to support conservation efforts and management decisions of this species.

ПЕРЕВАРИМОСТЬ И ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ЭНЕРГИИ У МОЛОДНЯКА СВИНЕЙ НА ДОРАЩИВАНИИ

As a result of the conducted studies on the technological group of young pigs rearing which were fed compound feed SPK-4 with the addition of 2.0% plant-based apple fruit feed, it was found that the average daily increase for the accounting period of young pigs of the experimental group was 3.32% higher than in the animals of the control group. The cost of exchange energy per 1 kg of increase was 25.3 MJ, and in the experimental group 24.8 MJ or 2% less. The coefficients of digestibility of nutrients in the experimental group that received mixed feed from the PAFF were higher. The consumption of exchange energy for heat production in the experimental group was less than in the control group, which affected the energy of production.

Competition and overlap of Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Plodia interpunctella populations under condition of stored date fruits

• Plodia interpunctella has more biological competitive power than Oryzaephlis surinamensis in terms of date fruit feeding. • The temporal distributions of their population densities affect the intra and inter competitions. • Populations of both species have the ability to escape competitive collisions. • Their ecological niches have different degrees of overlap during the date fruits storage period. • The results are used to predict the populations and select control methods of these pests. Plodia interpunctella and Oryzaephilus surinamensis are found in food storehouses including dates and palm storages. The current study aimed to determine competition and overlap potentials of the two pests of date fruits. Time series models were used to study two species populations and logistic growth model to estimate the effect of density of the species. The results revealed the environmental capacities of O. surinamensis and P. interpunctella were 433 and 1610 (maximum number per 20 g), respectively, and the population growth rates ( r ) were 1.2 and 1.3, respectively. Ecological balances of the two species were close to each other from the first to the third week. The population of O. surinamensis decreased in the fourth week of the competition. The highest population balance of the two species was in the 14th week. The potential of exploitable ecological niches (e ij ) and the amount of non-exploited ecological niches by any species (z ij ) for O. surinamensis was higher than for P. interpunctella from the 8th week untill the end of sampling period. The overlap of ecological niches in the two species (D) ranged from 0.94 to 1, indicating a complete overlap of temporal activity in the two populations on date palm. The current results of this study can be used by integrated pest management specialists. Information over the effects of species competition on population dynamics and their coexistence can be used to predict population status and to adopt simple pest control methods.

Studies on the fruit feeding weevil, Paramecops farinosa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Sri Lanka as a prospective weed biological control agent of invasive weed, Calotropis spp.

Calotropis gigantea is a large shrub or a small tree native to Sri Lanka with an Ayurvedic medicinal value. The plant is considered as an invasive weed in countries where it has been introduced. Paramecops farinosa Schoenherr (Aak weevil) is a monophagous pest that feeds on C. gigantea . Present study was conducted to elucidate the life history and damage potential of P. farinosa , in order to assess its potential as a biological control agent against C. procera and C. gigantea in countries where the plants are invasive. The field sampling was done throughout Sri Lanka covering 120 sampling sites from December 2014 to October 2015, and C. gigantea fruits were examined for the incidence and intensity of damage by P. farinosa . It lays yellowish, oval and mostly one-clustered eggs in the inner-pericarp fibrous layer of the Calotropis fruit. Newly emerged larvae were apodous, pale yellowish-white with brown head capsule whereas developing larvae were creamy-white, curved and stout. Paramecops farinosa larvae voraciously feed on all Calotropis seeds (100%) and fifth larval instar pupated by forming silky cocoons within the seed chamber. The adults feed on leaves, buds and flowers and its damage is highly correlated with the amount of P. farinosa inhabit on trees. P. farinosa is a seed predator and highly damage reproductive structures of C. gigantea thus directly influences the reproductive ability of the plant. These results provide baseline information needed in adopting P. farinosa as potential biological control agent against C. procera and C. gigantea .  Â

In silico identification of effector proteins from generalist herbivore Spodoptera litura

BackgroundThe common cutworm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius is a leaf and fruit feeding generalist insect of the order Lepidoptera and a destructive agriculture pest. The broad host range of the herbivore is due to its ability to downregulate plant defense across different plants. The identity of Spodoptera litura released effectors that downregulate plant defense are largely unknown. The current study aims to identify genes encoding effector proteins from salivary glands of S. litura (Fab.).ResultsHead and salivary glands of Spodoptera litura were used for de-novo transcriptome analysis and effector prediction. Eight hundred ninety-nine proteins from the head and 330 from salivary gland were identified as secretory proteins. Eight hundred eight proteins from the head and 267 from salivary gland proteins were predicted to be potential effector proteins.ConclusionsThis study is the first report on identification of potential effectors from Spodoptera litura salivary glands.

Genomic consequences of dietary diversification and parallel evolution due to nectarivory in leaf-nosed bats.

BackgroundThe New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomids) exhibit a diverse spectrum of feeding habits and innovations in their nutrient acquisition and foraging mechanisms. However, the genomic signatures associated with their distinct diets are unknown.ResultsWe conducted a genomic comparative analysis to study the evolutionary dynamics related to dietary diversification and specialization. We sequenced, assembled, and annotated the genomes of five Phyllostomid species: one insect feeder (Macrotus waterhousii), one fruit feeder (Artibeus jamaicensis), and three nectar feeders from the Glossophaginae subfamily (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae, Leptonycteris nivalis, and Musonycteris harrisoni), also including the previously sequenced vampire Desmodus rotundus. Our phylogenomic analysis based on 22,388 gene families displayed differences in expansion and contraction events across the Phyllostomid lineages. Independently of diet, genes relevant for feeding strategies and food intake experienced multiple expansions and signatures of positive selection. We also found adaptation signatures associated with specialized diets: the vampire exhibited traits associated with a blood diet (i.e., coagulation mechanisms), whereas the nectarivore clade shares a group of positively selected genes involved in sugar, lipid, and iron metabolism. Interestingly, in fruit-nectar–feeding Phyllostomid and Pteropodids bats, we detected positive selection in two genes: AACS and ALKBH7, which are crucial in sugar and fat metabolism. Moreover, in these two proteins we found parallel amino acid substitutions in conserved positions exclusive to the tribe Glossophagini and to Pteropodids.ConclusionsOur findings illuminate the genomic and molecular shifts associated with the evolution of nectarivory and shed light on how nectar-feeding bats can avoid the adverse effects of diets with high glucose content.

Temperature and food availability alters the physiology and aerobic capacity of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

Fish of the Amazon experience both daily and seasonal variation in temperature and food availability. In the present work, we investigated the influence of nutrient status changes resulting from feeding Colossoma macropomum five flooded forest fruits on aerobic and swimming performance. To assess the effects of diet, three groups of fish were provided different types of food. One group of was provided with commercial feed, another was given fruit feed, and the last group was not fed. The effects of temperature were tested by keeping half of each group of animals at either 26 °C or 33°C for 30 days. After this period, the animals were transferred to either a respiratory chamber or swimming tunnel. Then, tissues were collected for relevant analyses. Results showed that C. macropomum depresses aerobic metabolism when food is withheld (27% reduction in ṀO2), and observed effects were intensified at the highest temperature (40% reduction in ṀO2 at 33 °C). Further, increased temperature negatively influenced hematological (Ht, Hb, VCM), biochemical (glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol), hepatossomatic index and enzymatic (MDH and CS in white muscle) parameters. The animals feeding commercial and fruits enriched diets, have a physiological and biological advantage when compared to the unfed animals at both temperatures. Metabolic suppression is an important strategy for maintaining swimming capacity in C. macropomum. It is suggested that even after a long period of fasting, carbohydrates are important energetic substrates.

Fruit feeding butterflies as indicator taxon, pitfalls and concerns demonstrated in the Atlantic Forest

Abstract Aim In the search for the ideal indicator taxon, fruit feeding butterflies have attracted increased focus for use in ecosystem assessments in the tropics. This study aims to shed light on the usability of fruit feeding butterflies in ecosystem assessments by comparing the effect of two different measures of ecosystem degradation on the fruit feeding butterfly community. Location The Interior biogeographical sub region of the Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil. Methods In this study, the impact of tree cover and urban area on the abundance, richness and diversity of fruit feeding butterflies were investigated. Tree cover was measured within 200 and 1000 m of each trap while urban area was just measured within 1000 m. This was accomplished with the use of standardized trapping methods and geospatial tools that allowed for spatial analysis of the area surrounding each trap. In contrast to the common approach, the grouping of sampling units where based on the specific research question addressed, thus enhancing the statistical significance of the results. Results Within 200 m a moderate amount of tree cover (~35–50% tree cover), were found to be positively correlated with all community metrics, while a high amount of tree cover within both 200 and 1000 m (~>50% tree cover) displayed a pronounced negative correlation with all community metrics. Any amount of urban area within 1000 m (~0–30% urban area) showed a pronounced negative correlation with all community metrics. Main conclusions Considering the effect of tree cover, several commonly used community metrics for fruit feeding butterflies were shown to respond contradictorily to what might be expected. However, regarding urban area, the fruit feeding butterfly community were found to respond as expected and was extraordinarily sensitive to disturbances. These results highlight the need to be critical in the choice of community metrics when utilizing fruit feeding butterflies as indicator taxon, while also demonstrating their sensitivity to habitat changes and potential in future habitat assessments. In addition, grouping trap data in accordance to specific research questions was found to yield very robust results, thus allowing for reduced survey costs in future studies.