Entomofaunal diversity and prey-predator relationship associated with organic paddy field at mahadare conservation reserve, Satara District, Maharashtra

Abstract

Paddy fields are natural wetland ecosystems that supply rice for the people and provide the shelter to wildlife especially insect diversity of different functional aspects. In the present study, we investigated entomofaunal diversity in organic paddy field at Mahadare conservation reserve, Satara district Maharashtra. A total of 275 insects belonging to 56 species and eight orders, viz., Coleoptera (10), Diptera (1), Hemiptera (4), Lepidoptera (24), Mantodea (2), Odonata (10), Orthoptera (4), and Thysanoptera (1) were recorded. The most abundant order was Lepidoptera and the least one was Diptera. The abundance of insects varying in different growth stages of the rice. Total (53%) insects act as pest and predators comprising (41%) individuals of insect pests with remaining (6%) were visitors of the paddy field. We concluded from our study that these rice fields were cultivated without use of any type of insecticide, pesticide or inorganic chemical fertilizer honouring traditional Indian culture. So, even the pest insects were diverse the predators serve as most effective agents for the biological control and farmers produces high crop yield.