Harboring arthropod species in Malta ecosystem at Madhupur tract in Bangladesh

AbstractMonthly field surveys were conducted across multiple Malta orchards in three upazilas namely Madhupur, Ghatail and Dhanbari under Tangail district from May 2023 to April 2024 to document arthropod species diversity, abundance, and their interactions with the crop. A total of 32 insect species and one mite species found in Malta. Among the species harboured, four insect species and one mite were identified as major pests. Out of the insect species, nine species are shown as minor pest, six species as predators, two species as pollinators and eleven species as casual visitors. From March to May, the abundance of all harboured arthropod species was increased. Scale insects ranked first in the order Hemiptera, with the maximum abundance of 25.1%. The pollinator had the lowest rank with an abundance of 6.06%, while the pest category held the highest rank (42.42%). Casual visitor and predator showed the highest evenness and richness for Malta crops. This study contributes to the understanding of arthropod-crop interactions in the context of Bangladesh’s agricultural landscape.