Identification of Insects Visitors to Oil Palm Flowers in the Community Plantation of Kalicinta Village, North Kotabumi District, North Lampung Regency

Abstract

Palm oil is a plantation commodity with economic value in Indonesia. Insects are one of the crucial factors influencing oil palm fruit productivity. The study aimed to identify the insect visitors on male and female palm flowers based on border habitat types and visitation times. The research was conducted in Kalicinta Village, North Kotabumi District, from August 2020 to September 2020. The study was carried out at three observation stations: SS (palm plantations bordering palm plantations), SK (palm plantations bordering rubber plantations), and (palm plantations bordering cassava plantations). Insects were collected using the swap and yellow sticky trap methods. 25 morphospecies and eight insect orders visited oil palm flowers. The result showed that oil palm flowers were visited by 25 morphospecies and eight insect orders. These orders were Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Mantodea. Male palm flowers were visited by 25 morphospecies of insects, while female palm flowers were visited by only 5 morphospecies. Elaeidobius sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was the most common species to visit both male and female flowers, followed by Apis sp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), and Camponotus sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) respectively. Most insects visit in the morning and the habitat of palm bordering palm is the most visited.