An Inventory of Insect Visiting the Flower of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Insect pollinator is one of the very important ecosystem services for human and environment. The study of insects as flower visitors is important to know about sexual reproduction in plants. There has been no research on insects as visitors on eggplant flowers. The purpose of this study was to determine the diversity of insects that visited eggplant flowers (Solanum melongena L.). Collection of samples was conducted at the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Klabat, Manado. The research method used was the method of observation and direct collecting using insect nets. The sample identification was done at the Laboratory of Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Klabat, Manado using Borror, Triplehorn, and Johnson (1996). The results of the study found 17 genera belonging to nine families and three orders of insects of the order Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera who visited eggplant flowers. The most dominant insects visiting eggplant flowers were the order of Hymenoptera. Some genera of visitor insects found in this study were known to act as pollinating insects such as Episyrphus, Calliphora, Apis, Trigona, Xylocopa, Vespula, Vespa, Papilio, Graphium, Appias, Cephrenes, Pelopidas, Eurema, and Dolichoderus. This indicated the important role of insects in sexual reproduction of eggplant.