Abstract
Protected areas (PAs) are the cornerstone of global biodiversity conservation strategy, yet the effectiveness of PAs in
safeguarding insect diversity -- the most species-rich component of most terrestrial ecosystems -- remains poorly
evaluated relative to their well-studied role in vertebrate conservation. This study presents a comprehensive assessment
of insect biodiversity across 12 protected areas spanning three forest types in peninsular India -- the Eastern Ghats
Wildlife Sanctuary complex, the Nallamala Forest Reserve, and the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve -- using
standardised malaise trapping, light trapping, pitfall arrays, and vegetation sweeping at 64 survey stations over two
survey seasons (2019-2021). A total of 1,284 insect species from 18 orders and 124 families are documented,
representing the most comprehensive insect inventory for these protected areas to date. Coleoptera (342 species),
Lepidoptera (284 species), Hymenoptera (218 species), and Diptera (196 species) are the most species-rich orders.
Species richness is significantly higher in core zones compared to buffer zones of all assessed PAs (mean +28.4%), and
higher in PAs with lower surrounding human population density. Comparison with an unprotected forest control reveals
that PAs protect an estimated additional 184 insect species relative to equivalent unprotected forests. Twenty-eight
species are new records for peninsular India. Twelve species are assessed as IUCN Threatened. The study confirms the
significant but partial effectiveness of current PA management for insect conservation and identifies fire management,
invasive species, and tourism pressure as priority management concerns.