Guindani, A.N., Nondillo, A., Pacheco da Silva, V.C., Andzeiewski, S., Azevedo Filho, W.S., Bueno, O.C., & Botton, M.I. 2018 Interaction Between Linepithema micans (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Vine Mealybug Planococcus ficus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae): Trophobiosis or Predation?. Environmental Entomology doi: 10.1093/ee/nvy089
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Notes: The mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has recently been detected in vineyards in southern Brazil. The ant Linepithema micans (Forel) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is the most abundant and frequent species in these vineyards, acting mainly as a disperser of the native soil scale, the ground pearl Eurhizococcus brasiliensis (Wille) (Hemiptera: Margarodidae). This study evaluated the interactions (dispersal and predation) of L. micans with P. ficus. The results showed that L. micans does not transport P. ficus, and predates on first-instar nymphs of the mealybug.
