Abstract

Understanding insect diversity is crucial for establishing policies for conservation and ecosystem management. This study investigated seasonal variation in nocturnal insect diversity using bucket light traps across three forest types— coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests—in Gimje, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea. Surveys were conducted in spring, summer, and fall; 934 species and 13,531 individuals from 14 insect orders were collected. The highest numbers of species and individuals were recorded in summer and in the mixed forest. One-way analysis of variance revealed significant seasonal differences in the numbers of species and individuals (P<0.05), whereas forest-type differences were significant only for the number of species between coniferous and mixed forests. These findings suggest that surveys conducted in summer and in mixed forests are most effective for assessing insect diversity. The results provide a foundational reference for improving survey methodologies in the National Ecosystem Survey and for long-term biodiversity monitoring.