New study reveals unexpected global patterns in insect predation

In a new study led by Katerina Sam, we show that the risk of predation faced by insects varies strongly across both latitude and forest height. Researchers from our group contributed data from the Leipzig canopy crane site, helping reveal how predator–prey interactions change across global environmental gradients. Using a global network of forest canopy cranes, the study tests how predation on caterpillars differs between temperate forests and the tropics and between the forest understory and canopy.

We deployed more than 3,400 artificial caterpillars across six forest sites spanning a latitudinal gradient from 51°N to 34°S. Attack marks left by predators allowed us to quantify predation by birds, arthropods, and other predators. Contrary to common expectations, predation patterns differed strongly between forest strata. In tropical forests, caterpillars experienced higher predation in the understory, whereas in temperate forests predation was much stronger in the canopy. These patterns reflect shifts in the relative importance of different predator groups.
The study highlights how forest vertical structure shapes ecological interactions and demonstrates the value of coordinated global experiments using canopy crane facilities.

Sam K., Sivault E., Fernandez Garzon S., Finnie S., Kollross J., Houska Tahadlova M., Lenc J. Libra M., Ludwig A., Maraia H., Philip A. J., Re Jorge L., Xiao X & Volf M., (2026) Forest canopy insects are safer from predators in the tropics than at higher latitudes. Nature Communications, 2026, ttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69935-7