[Aim]  To compare the arthropod communities of cotton fields under four different cropping patterns in Caocaohexin Village, Ayibaga Town, Awati County, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, and thereby develop a theoretical basis for predicting pest outbreaks and promoting environmentally friendly pest control in cotton fields. [Methods]  A random five-point sampling method was used to investigate the population dynamics of arthropods in cotton fields that were either a monoculture, or intercropped with walnut, apricot, or apple, trees. [Results]  A total of 39 300 individual arthropods were detected in monoculture fields which were assigned to 23 species, 15 families, 10 orders and 2 classes. A total of 29 181 arthropods (29 species, 18 families, 10 orders and 2 classes) were detected in fields intercropped with walnut trees. A total of 31 596 arthropods (33 species, 21 families, 11 orders and 2 classes) were detected in fields intercropped with apricot trees. A total of 33 398 arthropods (33 species, 21 families, 12 orders and 2 classes) were detected in fields intercropped with apple trees. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou's evenness index, Simpson's dominance index, and Margalef's richness index for arthropod populations were highest in the apple-cotton intercropping system. However, only the richness index (2.00) was significantly higher than that of the other three systems (P < 0.05). Analysis of population dynamics for dominant pest and predator insects across the four cropping systems revealed that the Thripidae had peak outbreaks from mid-July to early August, Aphis gossypii peaked from late June to late July, Bemisia tabaci peaked from mid-July to mid-August, and Lygus pratensis had two peak periods, one in mid-July and another in early August. Notably, L. pratensis populations in walnut-cotton intercropped fields were significantly smaller than in the other three cropping systems (P<0.05). Predatory insects were dominated by members of the Chrysopidae, Adonia variegata, and Syrphidae. The Chrysopidae were at peak abundance in early July, whereas Adonia variegata appeared in early June and peaked in early August. A. variegata populations were significantly bigger in apple-cotton intercropped fields than in the other three cropping systems (P < 0.05). The Syrphidae reached their population peak in July. Natural enemies of cotton pests, such as A. variegata and members of the Chrysopidae and Syrphidae, were positively correlated with the abundance of major pests such as A. gossypii, Thriperidae, L. pratensis and B. tabaci (correlation coefficient 0.50-0.82). Monocultures and walnut-cotton intercropped fields had the highest correlation between A. variegata and L. pratensis, whereas apple-cotton intercropped fields had the highest correlation between the Syrphidae and L. pratensis. Apricot-cotton intercropped fields had the highest correlation between the Chrysopidae and L. pratensis, indicating that there may be differences in the population dynamics of pests and their natural enemies under different cropping systems. [Conclusion]  Intercropping cotton with walnut, apricot or apple, trees can improve the diversity and stability of the arthropod community in Awati County.