From May to September 2004, the composition and structure of arthropods in the canopy of young and old stands of Pinus massoniana were studied in the epidemic region of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus located in Zhoushan city, Zhejiang Province.The technique of branch bagging was used. The results show that the number of arthropod species was significantly higher in the canopy of young stands than in that of old stands, but the actual number of arthropods was much higher in the canopy of the old stands. The major species in the canopy of young stands included Monochamus alternatus Hope, Cinara pinitabulaeformis Zhang et Zhang, Dioryctria rubella Hampson, Tomicus piniperda L., Aphrophora flavipes Uhler and others. In the canopy of old stands, the predominant species were Monochamus alternatus Hope and Cinara pinitabulaeformis Zhang et Zhang as well as Nesodiprion zhejiangensis Zhou et Xiao and Epinotia rubiginosana (Herrich-Schffer), which, to a lesser extent, also occurred in the canopy of young stands. A total of 4218arthropods, representing 98 species which belong to 49 families and 13 orders, was found in the samples, pooled from both the young and old stands. Of these, a total of 1584 arthropods, representing 66 species belonging to 40 families and 12 orders, was found in the canopy of young stands and 2634 arthropods from 74 species belonging to 39 families and 12 orders were found in the old stands. The structure of the arthropod community in the canopy of both types of stands was also compared in spatial and temporal terms which showed that the structure of young trees was more suitable than that of old trees for harboring arthropods, which suggests that the tending of old trees should be strengthened.