Diversity and abundance of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India

Abstract

The diversity and abundance of ladybird beetles in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India was studied from January 2021 to December 2022. A total of 15 species, representing 11 genera and 4 subfamilies of the family Coccinellidae, were recorded using four different collection methods: sweep nets, hand picking, and light traps. The most abundant subfamily Coccinellinae was comprised of the highest number of species (6 species), followed by Epilachninae (5 species), Scymninae (3 species) and Chilocorinae (1 species). As compared to number of individuals, again Coccinellinae was the most abundant subfamily (78.64% of the total individuals), followed by Epilachninae (10.28%), Chilocorinae (8.75%) and Scymninae (2.31%). The present study indicates a great diversity of ladybird beetles in the area and provides preliminary data for future works.