Hypothenemus hampei(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its Interactions WithAzteca instabilisandPheidole synanthropica(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Shade Coffee Agroecosystem

Abstract

The coffee berry borer is currently the most important insect pest of coffee worldwide. In shaded coffee farms such as Finca Irlanda in Chiapas, Mexico, natural enemies limit coffee berry borer and potentially prevent outbreaks. This research aimed to determine the effect of ants on coffee berry borer damage and to describe behaviors of Azteca instabilis F. Smith and Pheidole synanthropica (Longino 2009) when encountering the coffee berry borer. To these ends, an ant survey was conducted in a 2,500-m(2) plot within the farm. A 4- by 4-m coordinate system was established, and the coffee plant or shade tree closest to the coordinate point was sampled using tuna fish for a total of 168 coffee plants and 46 shade trees sampled. In addition, up to 100 berries were harvested from 138 coffee plants to measure damage and verify the presence of the coffee berry borer. Behavior was determined in the field by placing live coffee berry borer adults on berries and video recording all attacks. Results showed that plants with ants had less percentage of damaged berries and shorter coffee berry borer galleries than plants without ants. However, the length of galleries in plants with A. instabilis showed no significant differences from plants without ants. P. synanthropica was observed carrying coffee berry borer to the nest in 50% of the cases, whereas A. instabilis threw coffee berry borer off of the coffee plant in 79% of the cases. Results indicate that the presence of these species of ants reduce coffee berry borer damage and suggest that different behaviors could explain the pattern of coffee berry borer attack in this agroecosystem.

Vegetation connectivity increases ant activity and potential for ant‐provided biocontrol services in a tropical agroforest

“…Ants of the genus Azteca are numerically dominant in shaded coffee plantations. These ants forage intensively on coffee plants (as a result of an ant–hemipteran mutualism), and deter CBB adults by removing them from the coffee plant, therefore lowering fruit damage (Jiménez‐Soto, Cruz‐Rodríguez, Vandermeer, Perfecto, Nuñez, Philpott, Ballinas, 2002, Vandermeer, & Perfecto, ). In shaded coffee plantations, Azteca sericeasur ants nest on shade trees (Vandermeer et al., ) and access adjacent coffee plants through the leaf litter or available pathways, such as fallen branches, vines, and other vegetation ( personal observation ), matching the description by Longino () for this species in forest habitats.…”

Dead ant walking: a myrmecophilous beetle predator uses parasitoid host location cues to selectively prey on parasitized ants

“…This species frequently nests in the shade trees of coffee plantations and forages in the coffee below, preying on and removing herbivores [22]. Ants in the genus Azteca are known for their pungent alarm pheromone that they disperse liberally from large pygidial gland sacs when disturbed.…”

Complex Ecological Interactions in the Coffee Agroecosystem

“…This network, in addition to the normal energy transferring connections, includes competition, mutualism, predation, parasitism, and disease-host relationships and includes several key trait-mediated interactions. The network also plays a role in the ecosystem service of pest control , Pardee & Philpott 2011, Jha et al 2012, Jiménez-Soto et al 2013.…”

“…This system is an example of cascading trait-mediated indirect interactions facilitated by the ant's chemical communication system (Figure 4). In addition to attacking adult coccinellid beetles, Azteca ants remove any herbivores from where they are actively foraging and also attack coffee berry borers (Hypothenemus hampei ), coffee's most damaging insect pest ( Jiménez-Soto et al 2013), making it difficult for the borers to make their way into coffee fruits to lay eggs. However, when Azteca ants are under attack from phorid flies, and in the catatonic state, coffee berry borers can invade just as many coffee fruits as when no ants are protecting coffee plants (Pardee & Philpott 2011).…”

“…able to feed on scales when they are separated in space from the local scale densities surrounding A. sericeasur nests while A. orbigera concentrate on those local densities near A. sericeasur nests. Other ants are involved in tending the scales [especially the arboreal foraging but ground nesting Pheidole synanthropica ( Jiménez-Soto et al 2013), but including perhaps a dozen other species] but only on coffee plants that are not occupied by A. sericeasur .…”