Diversity of Insect Pest and Predator Species in Monsoon and Summer Rice Fields of Taungoo Environs, Myanmar

Paddy fields are natural and artificial wetland ecosystems that supply rice for the people and provide the wildlife especially insect diversity of different functional aspects. A total of 71 insect species belonging to 40 families under eight orders were observed during the study period. Among the 71 insect species, 18 species of beetles, nine species of bugs, eight species of dragonfly, five species of butterflies, four species of leafhoppers, plant hoppers and moths, three borer and spiders, two crickets, one species of skippers, grass hopper, hispa, ant, weevil, hairy caterpillar, leaf roller, katydid, thrips, maggot and water boatmen were recorded in the study sites. Total of 41 species of pests, 18 species of predators and 12 species of beneficial species (they function as pollinating the flowering plants in the paddy field wetland ecosystem) were recorded in the study sites. In the monsoon season, the 41 species of pest species, 18 species of predator species and 12 species of beneficial species were recorded from monsoon rice field. According to Shannon Evenness value (H'/S = -0.012564), the data showed that the insect species recorded from the one habitat was not the similar to another. In summer paddy fields, 36 species of pest species, 16 species of predator species and 9 species of beneficial species were recorded. Total arthropod insect species were recorded 61 species from the dry rice fields. According to Shannon Evenness value (H'/S = -0.000120), the data showed that the insect species recorded from the one habitat was not the similar to another. Population growth and duration of life cycle of insects is mainly dominated by the temperature, the duration of life cycle is shorter in the high temperature than in the low temperature.

Distribution Pattern and Seasonal Variation of Bird Species from Semi-Urban Area of Taungoo Environs

The environs of Taungoo Township, Bago Region are one of the high biodiversity areas in Myanmar, locating eastern side of the high mountain ranges of Middle Yoma. The dense of every green and deciduous forest in the middle Middle Yoma were logging since 10 - 20 years ago. The birds inhabiting in that area have to refuge in suitable habitats nearby. The resent status of bird species is needed to assess the diversity of birds with the respect to distribution and seasonal variation after the construction of Yangon-Nepyitaw, Myanmar after twenty years ago. A total of 50 species of 27 genera, 22 families under nine orders were recorded. That represented 44 resident species (32 terrestrial species and 12 water bird species), and 6 species of migratory birds (1 terrestrial species and 5 water bird species). As habitat utilization, 24 bird species in paddy fields, 21 species in scattered trees, 33 species in wetland and 25 species in forest habitat types were investigated. Some species used more than one habitat types. According to the assessment of abundance categories based on the calculation of individual numbers of the birds, abundant category (3 species), common bird (1 species), frequent category (5 species), uncommon category (3 species) and rare species (28 species) were categorized. Hence, bird community was still sustainable in this area. In the aspect of conservation status, all recorded bird species were under least concern categories, according to the IUCN Redlist in the study area.

Fish Species Diversity in Upstream and Downstream of Sittaung River,Bago Region,Myanmar

This research was conducted to generate a primary database on ichthyofauna,distribution and diversities in the upstream and downstream segments of Sittaung River in Bago Region of Myanmar.This study contributes to the information needed on the distribution of river fish in Myanmar.Fish diversities are assessed by calculating the various diversities indices between December,2018 and November,2019.A total of 65 fish species belonging to 9 orders,23 families and 49 genera were recorded.All 65 fish species were found in upstream segment but only 60 species of them were found in downstream segment of the river.In all study sites,Shannon diversity index had value above 3 indicating that the structure of habitat was stable and balanced.Simpson’s index values were close to 1 in all sites indicating that the species richness in the region was satisfactory.The abundance all of above 5%of total catch of Mystus vittatus,M.pulcher,M.cavasius and Erethistes pusillus in their feeding habitat suggested that their upstream and downstream habitats provided suitable feeding conditions.Anguilla bengalensis,Tenualosa ilisha,Mystus gulio,Rita rita and Silonia silondia were least abundant all below 0.1%of total catch showing they could be impacted by unwise anthropogenic activities.Assessing fish species diversity is thus very important to conserve and manage and promote the health of river ecosystem that is necessary for the migration of fish species.

Seasonal Prevalence of <i>Aedes aegypti</i>in Semi-Urban Area of Yangon Region, Myanmar

Prevalence rate of Aedes aegypti was conducted in 20 houses from semi-urban areas of Yangon Region. Larval surveys were done at indoors and outdoors water containers of five types. Prevalence rate of larval density larvae was investigated monthly by standard indices. The highest infestation rate of the container index (CI) was in June 2018 (56.52%), the second highest was in July 2017 (48.36%) and the lowest rate was in April 2017 (5.07%);those of the Jar index (JI) was highest (36.49%) in June and second highest rate (23.8%) was in October 2017. Reasoning the Metal drum (MI) was highest (13.95%) in June 2018 and second highest (6.25%) was in July 2017. The larval infestation rate of Earthen pot (EI) was highest (42.1%) in July 2017. The larval incident rate in almost all indices showed that the highest rate was at the beginning of monsoon season, in June and July, while in the remaining months, the larval incident rate was found to decrease due to the application of insecticides in the study area by the Township Public Health Department. However, the application of insecticides did not cover all the breeding sites of the mosquitoes, the water puddles under their houses were left to apply the insecticides. The positive larval incident rate was assessed by Household (HI), Container index (CI), Breteau index (BI). The highest and second highest positive larval incident rates were all in June 2018 and July 2017 in all indices, HI (27.3% and 23.4%), CI (56.52% and 48.36%), BI (17.56% and 16.79%) and SI (28.49% and 24.38%) respectively. The lowest rate in all indices was 2.56% (HI), 5.07% (IC), 2.67% (BI) and 1.91% (SI) in April. In this study, the fluctuation of indices of infestation rates and positive larval index value was positively correlated in similar trends in the study months. The reason for difficult control measure depends on the water sources under their houses and remains stagnant throughout the year, even in the dry season. High incident and death rates of the children due to Dengue/Dengue Haemorrhagic fever patients in June and July could not be directly correlated with the prevalence of Aedes aegypti. The control measure is needed to wash out the water source under the houses and to apply the insecticides to the all breeding sites.