<![CDATA[Aerial insects perform essential ecological functions and serve as indicators of environmental change, particularly in ecotone habitats such as cave entrances. Kiskendo Cave represents a transitional ecosystem between surface and subterranean environments with unique environmental characteristics. However, tourism activities may disrupt the ecological balance through changes in vegetation, artificial lighting, and other anthropogenic disturbances. This study aimed to analyze the diversity, evenness, species richness, and dominance of aerial insects and to examine their community structure and ecological roles in the area. Sampling was conducted on May 16, 2026, at the entrance of Kiskendo Cave using the sweep-net method on surrounding vegetation, and specimens were identified to species level based on morphological characteristics. Community structure was analyzed using Shannon-Wiener, Evenness, Margalef, and Simpson indices. The results showed that the community consisted of six insect orders dominated by Lepidoptera, with a Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’ = 2.342) indicating moderate diversity, an evenness index (E = 0.9456) showing highly uniform distribution of individuals, a Margalef richness index (R = 3.789) indicating moderate species richness, and a Simpson dominance index (D = 0.102) indicating low dominance. These findings suggest that the aerial insect community in the study area remains relatively stable with a balanced community structure. Heterogeneous vegetation and supportive microclimatic conditions contribute significantly to the maintenance of insect diversity and ecosystem stability. Ecologically, the area supports multiple functional roles for insects, such as pollinators, herbivores, and predators, that interact to sustain ecosystem balance.]]>
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