Long–term study in Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin–Mèneville) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) population from southern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The mine bug, Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin­Mèneville, 1842) (Lepidoptera: Lyonatiidae), is considered an important coffee pest as it causes losses to productivity and reduced harvests. The species is mainly controlled through chemical inputs, which can lead to the emergence of resistant populations. Understanding the population dynamics of this species is vital to the search for more adequate and efficient management programs. In this work, we sought to understand how environmental factors (temperature and precipitation) affect the occurrence of attacks by L. coffeella on coffee leaves and determine if these same factors influence wasp predation rates on the caterpillars of this lepidopteran. The results showed that the occurrence of L. coffeella larvae is correlated with environmental temperature, with greater abundance during the hot months of the year. There was also greater predation of L. coffeella by wasps during this period, which are attracted to coffee plantations by the abundance of larvae that they use as a food resource and, thus, act as biological controllers. Precipitation is also an important control factor for L. coffeella because it reduces the abundance of this pest and helps control the species even during months of greater lepidopteran abundance.