Abstract

Insects associated with 38 species of forest trees in the Western Ghats were studied and a total of 92 species of insects were collected and identified. Majority of them were phytophagous, mostly belonging to the Orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. The study indicated that there was no major damages due to pest incidence except for occasional mild defoliation of Grewia tiliaefolia, Haldina cordifolia, Lannea coromandelica, Tectona grandis, Anacolosa densiflora, Actinodaphne madraspatana, Cinnamom verum and Litsea floribunda due to foliage feeders. The study also indicated that, of the various insects recorded, about 65 are new records for the respective hosts in India