Diversity of insect communities can be used as bioindicators for change in the environment especially in farms under different management systems. In line with that, we conducted a research on insect species associated with cocoa under organic and conventional management systems in the Eastern and Central regions of Ghana. Insect collection was done using Hand height visual count, Canopy, and “Knock down”, pitfall, coloured bowl and fruit-baited traps. A total of 13,742 individual insects belonging to 138 species from 63 families and 12 orders were recorded in the study. Insect abundance and diversity were generally higher in organic farms compared to conventional farms with Oecophylla longinoda as the most dominant species in both management systems and especially more dominant in organic cocoa farms. Our study revealed that most of the insect species recorded were known cocoa pests although there was high abundance of beneficial insects too. Some of the pest species were Planococoides njalensis, Salhbergella singularis, Helopeltis spp and Pseudococus spp, while some of the beneficial insects recorded were Pheidole spp, Tegenaria spp, Camponotus spp, Crematogaster spp. We can conclude that cocoa farms are potential habitats for insect biodiversity conservation. We recommend that management and/or agronomic practices used in cocoa farms should be geared towards protecting beneficial organisms for instance pollinators and natural enemies by effectively suppressing insect pest populations while enhancing good seed production.

中文翻译：

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加纳东部和中部地区两种管理系统下可可农场的节肢动物多样性

昆虫群落的多样性可用作环境变化的生物指标，特别是在不同管理系统下的农场中。为此，我们对加纳东部和中部地区在有机和传统管理系统下与可可相关的昆虫物种进行了研究。昆虫收集是使用手高视觉计数、树冠和“击倒”、陷阱、彩色碗和水果诱饵完成的。该研究共记录了 13,742 只昆虫个体，属于 63 科 12 目 138 种。与常规农场相比，有机农场的昆虫丰度和多样性通常更高，长叶松果是两种管理系统中最主要的物种，尤其是在有机可可农场中更为显着。我们的研究表明，尽管也有大量的有益昆虫，但记录的大多数昆虫物种都是已知的可可害虫。部分害虫种类为 Planococoides njalensis、Salhbergella singleis、Helopeltis spp 和 Pseudococus spp，而记录的一些有益昆虫为 Pheidole spp、Tegenaria spp、Camponotus spp、Crematogaster spp。我们可以得出结论，可可农场是昆虫生物多样性保护的潜在栖息地。我们建议可可农场中使用的管理和/或农艺实践应通过有效抑制害虫种群同时提高良好的种子产量来保护有益生物，例如传粉媒介和天敌。部分害虫种类为 Planococoides njalensis、Salhbergella singleis、Helopeltis spp 和 Pseudococus spp，而记录的一些有益昆虫为 Pheidole spp、Tegenaria spp、Camponotus spp、Crematogaster spp。我们可以得出结论，可可农场是昆虫生物多样性保护的潜在栖息地。我们建议可可农场中使用的管理和/或农艺实践应通过有效抑制害虫种群同时提高良好的种子产量来保护有益生物，例如传粉媒介和天敌。部分害虫种类为 Planococoides njalensis、Salhbergella singleis、Helopeltis spp 和 Pseudococus spp，而记录的一些有益昆虫为 Pheidole spp、Tegenaria spp、Camponotus spp、Crematogaster spp。我们可以得出结论，可可农场是昆虫生物多样性保护的潜在栖息地。我们建议可可农场中使用的管理和/或农艺实践应通过有效抑制害虫种群同时提高良好的种子产量来保护有益生物，例如传粉媒介和天敌。我们可以得出结论，可可农场是昆虫生物多样性保护的潜在栖息地。我们建议可可农场中使用的管理和/或农艺实践应通过有效抑制害虫种群同时提高良好的种子产量来保护有益生物，例如传粉媒介和天敌。我们可以得出结论，可可农场是昆虫生物多样性保护的潜在栖息地。我们建议可可农场中使用的管理和/或农艺实践应通过有效抑制害虫种群同时提高良好的种子产量来保护有益生物，例如传粉媒介和天敌。