Abstract

Insect damages on 20 tree species in the moist deciduous forest (MDF) and 18 species in the evergreen forest (EGF) were studied in Kerala, India. Most trees had some insect associates causing occasional damages, but no major attacks were observed during the 2-year study period. Defoliation was observed from all species in verious degrees, but never exceeded 10 percent of the total foliage at any particular time except these eight species: Grewia tiliaefolia, Haldina cordifolia, Lannea coromandelica and Tectona grandis in the MDF and Anacolosa densiflora, Actinodaphne madraspatana, Cinnamomum verum and Litsea floribunda in the EGF at the highest rate of 21. Other types of damages, viz., sap-sucking, gall formation and stem boring were significant, except in Mesua nagassarium in the EFG where some trees were killed by a stem-boring buprestid beetle. The practical significance of the findings is discussed. The study indicates the elimination of high-risk species from