Inventory of insect fauna in tropical dry forest located northwest of the region of the Tatacoa Desert, Villa Vieja, Huila

The tropical dry forests (TDF) are one of the most intervened ecosystems in the Neotropics. The TDF of the Huila, Colombia, present the high process of desertification resulting from extensive cattle ranching and soil misuse. Even so, there are relatively conserved remnants of the TDF where herbaceous and shrubby vegetation are dominant. This study’s objective was to evaluate the entomofauna present in two conserved relicts (Chacaron and Morrongo) of northwest of the Tatacoa Desert located in Villavieja, Huila, Colombia. The specimens were collected during one week using an entomological net. A total of 464 insects were collected belonging to six orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Orthoptera). Hemiptera and Hymenoptera were the most abundant, with 189 and 151 individuals, respectively. The abundance was higher in Chacarón with 321 insects collected. Of the insects collected in Chacaron, Hymenoptera was more predominant with 152 individuals. Hemiptera was more predominant in Morrongo with 69 individuals. With this study, we could observe that the more abundant orders can are indicators of biodiversity and that they respond to aspects of climate and the availability of resources. The proximity to degraded areas can limit the presence and abundance of other orders.