Diversity of terrestrial insects around the natural wetland (Jalesar) in district Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, India.

A survey of terrestrial insects occupying around the wetland Jalesar of district Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, India was conducted between January 2007 to December 2008. The diversity of the terrestrial insects was studied by a self designed quadrat to determine frequency percentage, density and abundance of different species present in the community. Three sites were selected around the 15 hectare area in each season (summer, rainy and winter) and visited three times per season throughout the sampling period. A total of 98 species belonging to 12 orders and 58 families were collected in summer, 15 orders, 79 families and 156 species in rainy and in winter 15 orders, 75 families and 152 species were recorded. The three diversity indices showed higher values in rainy and high similarity was observed in winter season. Herbivores, predators, parasitoids, vectors, carnivorous, omnivorous, saprophages, aphidophagous and scavengers constituted the insect community of which herbivores were most preponderant in all the three season. Maximum diversity was recorded in rainy and winter season. The frequency percentage, density and abundance of 12 orders in summer, 15 orders in rainy and winter were 13.13, 25.01, 29.83; density 2.55, 2.52, 2.83 and abundance 2.27, 2.07 2.10, recorded, respectively. The highest level of all the three indices was observed in winter and lowest in summer while the rainy season as intermediary. A total of 156 species belonging to 17 orders and 79 families of the taxa were collected along with two new speceies of rove beetle, (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae R. Madge det.) viz., Thyrocephalus anachorita and Platyprosopus tamulus collected in an interesting association of mutualism with earwig, Labidura riparia Pallas form bengalensis Dohrn. The values of all the three indices in reference to order odonata indicated polluted water quality of the wetland. Further, successful completion of a biodiversity assessment of terrestrial and aquatic insects demand adequate study of the orders Odonata, Thysanoptera, Lepidotera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera.