RAW DATA We use artificial prey to quantify spatial and temporal variation in predation pressure on insect herbivores in two tropical rainforest sites in Panama. We measured temporal and spatial variation in predation in the understory of the lowland rainforest of Barro Colorado Island in Panama [79°49.79´S, 9°9.48´E; 2600 mm yr-1 rainfall, 3 mo dry season; = island experiment) in February 2020 by comparing diurnal and nocturnal attacks on plasticine caterpillars and hulks placed on glabrous and pubescent plants. We used model prey to measure predation pressure. Caterpillars (50 x 4 mm) and hulks (with a height of 30 mm that equaled the maximum height of the bent caterpillars) were molded from green, (to humans) odorless, non-toxic Newplast (Newclay Products Ltd., Newton Abbot, UK). Caterpillars were shaped and bent to mimic the posture of common geometrid caterpillars. Hulks resembled small (but fearsome) superhero figurines, known from the Marvel comics (Marvel Worldwide Inc.), and were shaped using custom made plastic molds. We used hulks as a control to the more naturally shaped caterpillar models to test whether objects resembling natural prey are indeed recognized as such by potential predators. All objects were modeled and handled using surgical gloves to avoid leaving unwanted cues (i.e., scent or other distracting contaminants) to predators. A hundred caterpillars and a hundred hulks were individually placed on 50 plants per host species. Objects were attached close to the midrib on the upper surface of plant leaves with a small amount of fast-setting glue, 30-80 cm from the ground. For four consecutive days (total of 96 h), the plasticine objects were inspected in 12 hour intervals at dusk and dawn (18:15 and 06:15 hours) to differentiate diurnal from nocturnal predation. Further, we conducted a follow-up experiment in a close-by mainland forest site in Gamboa, Parque Nacional Soberanía (79°43.38 S, 9°8.24 E; = mainland study) in early-March 2021. Following the same procedure as for the island experiment described above, we glued 27 caterpillars, 27 hulks, and 27 small caterpillars (30 x 2 mm) close to the midrib onto the upper side of leaves of tree saplings. In this follow-up experiment, we did however not select specific plant species, but chose saplings that were naturally growing in the field site. All plants were of similar size, with simple, elliptic to ovate, smooth-edged leaves, and without any foliar or stem pubescence. As before, all objects were carefully inspected for attack marks at 12 hour intervals at 18:15 and 06:15 hours for four consecutive days.