Levels of leaf damage due to insect folivory have been investigated in forests of different latitudes all over the world, but most research has concentrated on a few common forest types. Most studies of insect herbivory were conducted in (sub)tropical rain forests (Barone 1998, Basset 1996, Coley 1983, Lowman 1985), or in temperate forests (Landsberg & Ohmart 1989, Lowman & Heatwole 1992). In contrast, little is known about insect folivory of woody plants in tropical savannas (Fowler & Duarte 1991, Marquis et al. 2001, Ribeiro 2003, Stanton 1975), and no such data are available for the West African savanna ecosystem (Andersen & Lonsdale 1990). Savannas cover about 40% of the land surface of Africa and 20% of the world (Scholes & Walker 1993), and savanna trees may host considerable numbers of insects, including many herbivores (Grant & Moran 1986, Mody et al. 2003). Therefore, insect herbivory can be considered a potentially important aspect of plant–animal interactions for vast areas of tropical ecosystems, where it has been studied remarkably rarely so far.