The biology of Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) under field conditions

The coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was accidentally introduced into México in 1978, and rapidly became the main pest of coffee. As an exotic pest, its management has been mainly based on biological control methods through the introduction of parasitoids from Africa. In this context, at the beginning of the present decade, the parasitoid Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was imported to Mexico. Since then, several studies have been carried out as part of the post introduction evaluation of this parasitoid. In this paper, information concerning the parasitism and life-cycle of P. coffea in coffee farms is presented with the objective of providing information that elucidates its role as a biological control agent. P. coffea showed highly significant preferences for allocation of two eggs per host, usually one female and one male. Both offspring are able to develop and reach the adult stage successfully. Lifespan of adults is 2–3 days only. The degree of parasitism by P. coffea was more than 95% at the three altitudes tested, when releases consisted of a ratio of 10 CBB:1 parasitoid. The median survivorship of CBB parasitized by this wasp was 13, 15 and 19 days at the low, medium and high altitude coffee zones, respectively. The parasitism by P. coffea was higher when parasitoid releases were carried out simultaneously with the CBB, and decreased with the time between host and parasitoid releases. We showed that using P. coffea at a density of 1 parasitoid per 10 hosts resulted in a 3- to 5.6-fold decrease in CBB damage to the coffee seeds when compared to the control. The importance and value of these results are discussed in terms of the use of P. coffea as a biological control agent of the CBB in Latin America.     

Impact of natural enemies on coffee leafminer Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) population dynamics in Chiapas, Mexico

Coffee leafminer, Leucoptera coffeella, is a pest in many New World coffee growing areas. Previous studies suggested that its population dynamics were strongly affected by natural enemies, particularly of larvae, and physical environmental conditions. Our study documented through field surveys and life table analyses (i) the natural enemy complex associated with coffee leafminer and (ii) the impacts of natural enemies on the population dynamics of coffee leafminer, on coffee (Coffea arabica) at two elevations and two rainfall levels in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico. Twenty-two larval parasitoid species (including 14 morphospecies) were collected. Egg and pupal parasitoids were not recovered. Life table analyses showed that parasitism contributed 10% of real mortality, and parasitism rates were 8–10-fold higher at the low (<550 m) versus high (>950 m) elevation; parasitism rates were similar under low (<100 mm) and high (>400 mm) rainfall. Seventeen predator species (including five morphospecies) were collected, of which most were ants (Formicidae, 14 species) that contributed >58% of real mortality. Life table analyses showed that predation rates were higher at high versus low elevation and under high versus low rainfall. Independently of elevation and rainfall, egg predation (likely by ants) was the most important source of indispensable mortality (range = 0.13–0.30), except at low elevation and high rainfall where pupal predation (=0.14) was similarly important. Also, predation was the main source of coffee leafminer larval and pupal mortality during a 13-month period in a low elevation coffee farm and was highest during the rainy season (>400 mm rainfall/month), when coffee leafminer prevalence was highest. Overall, predation of eggs and pupae (the latter particularly at low elevation), mostly by ants, were the most important sources of coffee leafminer mortality. Because ants were the main source of coffee leafminer egg and pupal mortality, their importance and potential role in coffee pest management strategies were discussed.     

Wood-nesting ants and their parasites in forests and coffee agroecosystems

Agricultural intensification is linked to reduced species richness and may limit the effectiveness of predators in agricultural systems. We studied the abundance, diversity, and species composition of wood-nesting ants and frequency of parasitism of poneromorph ants in coffee agroeco systems and a forest fragment in Chiapas, Mexico. In three farms differing in shade management and in a nearby forest fragment, we surveyed ants nesting in rotten wood. We collected pupae of all poneromorph ants encountered, and incubated pupae for 15 d to recover emerging ant parasites. If no parasites emerged, we dissected pupae to examine for parasitism. Overall, we found 63 ant morphospecies, 29 genera, and 7 subfamilies from 520 colonies. There were no significant differences in ant richness or abundance between the different sites. However, there were significant differences in the species composition of ants sampled in the four different sites. The parasitism rates of ants differed according to site; in the forest 77.7% of species were parasitized, and this number declined with increasing intensification in traditional polyculture (40%),commercial polyculture (25%), and shade monoculture (16.6%). For three of four poneromorph species found in >1 habitat, parasitism rates were higher in the more vegetatively complex sites. The result that both ant species composition and ant parasitism differed among by site indicates that coffee management intensification affects wood-nesting ant communities. Further, coffee intensification may significantly alter interactions between ants and their parasites, with possible implications for biological control in coffee agroecosystems.     

Population Composition and Ectoparasite Prevalence on Bats (Sturnira ludovici; Phyllostomidae) in Forest Fragments and Coffee Plantations of Central Veracruz,Mexico

Studies comparing the abundance of frugivorous bats in shade‐coffee plantations and forest fragments report contradictory results, and have not taken into account the landscape context in which coffee plantations are immersed. Variables of population composition such as abundance, sex proportion, and reproductive condition, together with biological tags (i.e., bat fly prevalence), can provide information about spatiotemporal dynamics of habitats used by bats. In the central part of Veracruz, Mexico, we compared population variables and ectoparasite prevalence of the highland yellow‐shouldered bat (Sturnira ludovici) in two landscapes, one dominated by shade‐coffee plantations and another by forest fragments. Comparing these attributes between these two landscapes will increase our knowledge about the role of this agro‐ecosystem in the conservation of this species, which is an important seed disperser of cloud forest vegetation. Total abundance and proportion of females was greater in forest fragments than in coffee plantations, whereas the percentage of reproductive females and bat fly prevalence was similar between landscapes. Our results show that landscapes with forest fragments harbor the greatest abundance of S. ludovici, but shade‐coffee plantations also are utilized by S. ludovici and likely adjacent forest remnants provide enough food resources for this species and other frugivores. Moreover, this study provides more evidence documenting the importance of preserving the last cloud forest fragments in the central region of Veracruz, Mexico, and suggests that using shade‐coffee plantations to connect forest fragments may be an effective way of maintaining populations of S. ludovici and likely other volant frugivores.     

Brown blight (Colletotrichum coffeanum Noack.) of arabica coffee in East Africa

The anthracnoses of coffee known in East Africa as ‘brown blight’ are denned with respect to coffee berry disease, both caused by strains of Colletotrichum coffeanum Noack(Ghmerella cingulata (Stonem.) Spauld. & von Schrenk). Pathogenicity of brown blight strains to twigs, leaves, blossoms and berries is investigated and discussed with the conclusion that consistent differences in pathogenicity are absent. Latent infections on green berries were observed to become active upon ripening. The general role of C. coffeanum (other than CBD strains) appears to be confined to colonization of necrotic and moribund tissue, with sporadic active parasitism under certain local conditions. Maximum apparent losses are blemishing of 4% of parchment coffee and possible total loss of 2 %, both avoidable by regular picking. Other possible losses are discussed.     

Reproductive Biology ofCephalonomia hyalinipennis(Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), a Native Parasitoid of the Coffee Berry Borer,Hypothenemus hampei(Coleoptera: Scolytidae), in Chiapas, Mexico

The coffee berry borer,Hypothenemus hampei(Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), is the most important pest of coffee worldwide.Cephalonomia hyalinipennisAshmead (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) was recently discovered naturally attackingH. hampeiin Mexico.C. hyalinipennisboth preys upon and parasitizesH. hampei.We report laboratory investigations on the reproductive biology ofC. hyalinipennisaimed at assessing the suitability of this parasitoid for culturing and release in biological control programs. Adult females lived up to 95 days (mean for mated females = 57 days), and risk of death increased with age. Mating status, reproductive effort, and female size influenced adult female longevity, but only weakly. The number ofH. hampeipreyed upon did not affect longevity. Rates of attack (predation plus parasitism) declined with age, but the proportion of attackedH. hampeithat were parasitized increased. Overall, about half of the attackedH. hampeiwere preyed upon and half were parasitized. Females received approximately 46 sperm per mating and 77% became sperm depleted before the end of their reproductive lives. Estimated mean lifetime fecundity was 88 eggs. Offspring survival from egg to adulthood was 60%, with batches of eggs tending to survive or die collectively; 21.2% of surviving progeny were males. These results suggest thatC. hyalinipennismay be suitable for mass rearing and release, but further work is needed to investigate interactions betweenC. hyalinipennisand other parasitoids ofH. hampei.     

Colony size and parasitoid load in two species of colonial Metepeira spiders from Mexico (Araneae: Araneidae)

Summary While a number of advantages may result from group living, it may also lead to increased levels of attack by parasites because groups may be easier to find. This leads to the prediction that levels of parasitism should increase with colony size. We test this prediction by comparing colony size and parasitoid load for two species of colonial orb-weaving spiders from Mexico, Metepeira (undesc. sp., tentatively named atascadero) and Metepeira incrassata, which exhibit contrasting levels of social organization and utilize different habitats. For M. atascadero, which occurs solitarily or in small groups in desert/mesquite grassland habitat, rates of egg-sac parasitism fluctuate widely from year to year, and are closely tied to spider egg output. There is no relationship between colony size and rate of parasitism. For colonial M. incrassata, which occur in tropical rain forest/agricultural habitat, rates of parasitism are relatively constant from year to year. However, there is a positive relationship between colony size and rate of parasitism in this species. These differences are discussed with regard to the stability of the two habitats, prey availability, and the foraging behavior of the respective parasitoids.     

Environmental factors that modulate the release and transport of airborne urediniospores Hemileia vastatrix (Berk. & Broome) in coffee crops in Veracruz México

The coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix, is the most destructive coffee-growing disease and the most important economically. More aggressive outbreaks of the disease were recently reported worldwide, including in Mexico, where coffee production showed a 40% decrease. This work aimed to determine the environmental conditions that favor release and air transport of the H. vastatrix urediniospores in coffee crops in Veracruz. The monitoring of airborne coffee leaf rust urediniospores was performed using three types of aerobiological traps at different heights: Hirst Spore Trap (HST, 1.5 m), Passive Spore Trap (PST 1.5, 3, 6, and 9 m), and Sedimentation Spore Sampler (SSS 1 m) from January 2014 to October 2015, in two plots in Veracruz, Mexico. The airborne urediniospores counts exhibited a bimodal distribution. Low concentrations that increase over time are evident from January to April, decreasing abruptly in May and June, only to rise again in August, reaching the highest record for airborne urediniospores during the mid-summer drought phenomenon. Dispersal of coffee rust urediniospores is mainly influenced by temperature, rain, wind, and humidity in leaves. They can reach heights in the air up to 9 m (above the canopy) in shade coffee crops. The dispersal of pathogens in the atmosphere comprises complex processes interconnected; their knowledge allows better comprehensive management of them.

     

Biotechnological management of coffee pulp — isolation,screening, characterization,selection of caffeine-degrading fungi and natural microflora present in coffee pulp and husk

A total of 272 strains of filamentous fungi were isolated from soil, leaves of coffee plants and coffee cherries collected in coffee-growing areas of Mexico on three semi-synthetic culture media containing coffee extract, coffee extract with sucrose and coffee pulp extract. The isolated strains were purified by conventional techniques and identified by microscopic examination. Strains were selected on the basis of their caffeine-degrading ability in well-defined liquid medium containing caffeine. Most of the isolated microorganisms belong to Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Fusarium, and Humicola genera. Five strains belonging to Aspergillus species and two strains belonging to Penicillium species had the ability to degrade almost 100% of the caffeine in liquid medium. A comparative study on the evaluation of natural microflora present in coffee pulp and coffee husk revealed the presence of a wide variety of microorganisms. The percentage distribution of fungi, bacteria and yeast was almost similar in all the samples, except in coffee husk where the fungal population was slightly higher than in the other two samples. The yeast population was predominant when the coffee pulp was lyophilized immediately after pulping. However, there was a wide diversity in the microbial population with respect to selective media containing functional nutritional groups like cellulose, starch and pectin.     

Suppression of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations in coffee in the Mexico–Guatemala border region through the augmentative releases of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

In Guatemalan coffee plantations, Ceratitis capitata populations were suppressed by the application of augmentative releases of parasitoids. These releases significantly increased parasitism of this fruit fly over paired no-release control areas. Integrated management plus biological control presented a significant reduction in the pest population. These results support the application of biological control in C. capitata management.     

Does vegetational diversification reduce coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) attack?

The effects of increasing plant diversity on the population of the coffee leaf-miner Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville) were investigated in two organic coffee production systems. One system consisted of coffee intercropped with banana trees (shaded system) and the other one of coffee intercropped with pigeon pea (unshaded system). The increase in plant diversity on both systems was achieved via introduction of green manures such a perennial pea nut, sunn hemp and Brazilian lucerne. The population of L. coffeella, predation and parasitism of L. coffeella mines were biweekly evaluated during eight months. The increase in plant diversity on both systems did not affect the attack of L. coffeella on coffee leaves and the mine parasitism rate. However, there was a positive and significant relationship between increasing plant diversity and coffee leaf mine predation by wasps on unshaded coffee system and a negative relationship on shaded coffee system.     

Biological control of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by Phymastichus coffea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Colombia

The potential of the eulophid parasitoid Phymastichus coffea LaSalle to control coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) populations under field conditions in Colombia was evaluated. Parasitoid adults were released one, five and nine days after artificial infestations of 90-, 150- and 210-day-old coffee berries with H. hampei females. The position of the beetle inside the berry and the parasitism levels were assessed ten days after each P. coffea release. Parasitism of H. hampei by P. coffea was significantly affected by the age of the berries at the time of infestation, and by the position of the beetle inside the berries. Highest levels of parasitism were recorded in 150-day-old berries (75-85%) and in 90-day-old berries (75%) when P. coffea were released one day after the artificial infestation with H. hampei. In 150-day-old berries, highest levels of parasitism were recorded for H. hampei found in the outer layer of the endosperm followed by beetles penetrating the exocarp. Increasing the time of P. coffea releases after the artificial infestations with H. hampei led to decreased levels of parasitism in beetles attacking 90- and 150-day-old coffee berries. Low levels of parasitism were recorded in H. hampei females infesting older coffee berries because most of the beetles had already constructed galleries deep in the endosperm of the berries, i.e. out of reach of the parasitoid. The potential of P. coffea for biological control of coffee berry borer in Colombia is discussed.     

Survival and Growth of Juvenile Bromeliads in Coffee Plantations and Forests in Central Veracruz,Mexico

Shade coffee plantations can be important refuges for epiphytes, but are not suitable for all species. To test if the performance of early life stages, often the most sensitive phase, is responsible for the species’ ability to colonize coffee plantations, we compared growth and mortality rates of three epiphytic bromeliad species that differ in their ability to colonize secondary arboreal vegetation by transplanting juveniles to trees in forests, and shade trees in old and young coffee plantations in Central Veracruz, Mexico. Growth rates of Tillandsia viridiflora, generally restricted to forests, and Tillandsia juncea, an early colonizer, were related to the pattern of the species occurrence among habitats with growth rates of T. viridiflora being generally higher in forests and growth of T. juncea higher in coffee plantations. Performance of the third species, Tillandsia heterophylla, which is intermediate in habitat preference, was not clearly related to habitat. No difference in growth rates was found between plants transplanted in wet or dry season. In general, mortality in transplanted bromeliads was relatively low (mostly < 5% per month). In coffee plantations herbivory had a severe effect during part of the wet season, when mortality in young coffee plantations reached between 15 and 24 percent per month. Given the substantial contribution of herbivory to the mortality of juvenile plants and the significant differences between habitats, herbivory may be co‐limiting the colonization of young coffee plantations by some epiphytic bromeliads.     

Bird Populations in Rustic and Planted Shade Coffee Plantations of Eastern Chiapas, México

Much of the remaining “forest” vegetation in eastern Chiapas, Mexico is managed for coffee production. In this region coffee is grown under either the canopy of natural forest or under a planted canopy dominated by Inga spp. Despite the large differences in diversity of dominant plant species, both planted and rustic shade coffee plantations support a high overall diversity of bird species; we recorded approximately 105 species in each plantation type on fixed radius point counts. We accumulated a combined species list of 180 species on repeatedly surveyed transects through both coffee plantation types. These values are exceeded regionally only by moist tropical forest. Of the habitats surveyed, shade coffee was second only to acacia groves in the abundance and diversity of Nearctic migrants. The two plantation types have similar bird species lists and both are similar in composition to the dominant woodland—mixed pine-oak. Both types of shade coffee plantation habitats differ from other local habitats in supporting highly seasonal bird populations. Survey numbers almost double during the dry season—an increase that is found in omnivorous migrants and omnivorous, frugivorous, and nectarivorous resident species. Particularly large influxes were found for Tennessee warblers (Vermivora peregrina) and northern orioles (Icterus galbula) in Inga dominated plantations.     

Arboreal Ant Abundance and Leaf Miner Damage in Coffee Agroecosystems in Mexico

Shaded coffee agroecosystems traditionally have few pest problems potentially due to higher abundance and diversity of predators of herbivores. However, with coffee intensification (e.g., shade tree removal or pruning), some pest problems increase. For example, coffee leaf miner outbreaks have been linked to more intensive management and increased use of agrochemicals. Parasitic wasps control the coffee leaf miner, but few studies have examined the role of predators, such as ants, that are abundant and diverse in coffee plantations. Here, we examine linkages between arboreal ant communities and coffee leaf miner incidence in a coffee plantation in Mexico. We examined relationships between incidence and severity of leaf miner attack and: (1) variation in canopy cover, tree density, tree diversity, and relative abundance of Inga spp. shade trees; (2) presence of Azteca instabilis, an arboreal canopy dominant ant; and (3) the number of arboreal twig‐nesting ant species and nests in coffee plants. Differences in vegetation characteristics in study plots did not correlate with leaf miner damage perhaps because environmental factors act on pest populations at a larger spatial scale. Further, presence of A. instabilis did not influence presence or severity of leaf miner damage. The proportion of leaves with leaf miner damage was significantly lower where abundance of twig‐nesting ants was higher but not where twig‐nesting ant richness was higher. These results indicate that abundance of twig‐nesting ants in shaded coffee plantations may contribute to maintenance of low leaf miner populations and that ants provide important ecosystem services in coffee agroecosystems.     

The Importance of Ants and High-Shade Management to Coffee Pollination and Fruit Weight in Chiapas, Mexico

Recent reports show importance of pollinators to coffee and importance of ants as pollinators or floral protectors in many systems. Arthropod and pollinator diversity, however, declines with management intensification of coffee (Coffea arabica) agroecosystems. We investigated influences of both flying pollinators and ants on coffee fruit set and fruit weight in one high-shade (high-biodiversity) and one low-shade (low-biodiversity) coffee farm in Chiapas, Mexico through exclusion experiments. Contradictory to previous reports, flying pollinators alone did not affect coffee fruit set or fruit weight. Individual fruit weights, however, were higher on branches with both ants and flying pollinators (1.78 g ± 0.312 (SE)) compared to branches without ants (1.03 ± 0.029) or branches without ants or flying pollinators (1.05 ± 0.049), but only in the high-shade site. Although the mechanisms producing higher fruit weights are unknown, we discuss how ants or ant-flying pollinator interactions under high-shade coffee management may contribute to increased fruit weight and the implications of high-shade management for both sustainable coffee production and biodiversity conservation.     

Ectoparasitic mites and their Drosophila hosts

Only two parasite interactions are known for Drosophila to date: Allantonematid nematodes associated with mycophagous Drosophilids and the ectoparasitic mite Macrocheles subbadius with the Sonoran Desert endemic Drosophila nigrospiracula. Unlike the nematode-Drosophila association, breadth of mite parasitism on Drosophila species is unknown. As M. subbadius is a generalist, parasitism of additional Drosophilids is expected. We determined the extent and distribution of mite parasitism in nature Drosophilids collected in Mexico and southern California. Thirteen additional species of Drosophilids were infested. Interestingly, 10 belong to the repleta species group of the subgenus Drosophila, despite the fact that the majority of flies collected were of the subgenus Sophophora. In all cases but 2, the associated mites were M. subbadius. Drosophila hexastigma was found to have not only M. subbadius, but another Mesostigmatid mite, Paragarmania bakeri, as well. One D. hydei was also found to have a mite from genus Lasioseius attached. In both choice and no-choice experiments, mites were more attracted to repleta group species than to Sophophoran. The extent of mite parasitism clearly is much broader than previously reported and suggests a host bias mediated either by mite preference and/or some mechanism of resistance in particular Drosophilid lineages.     

Diets of Frugivorous Bats in Montane Rain Forest and Coffee Plantations in Southeastern Chiapas,Mexico

Frugivorous are one of the main diaspore dispersers in tropical ecosystems, particularly in open areas and sites in the early stages of ecological succession. Frugivorous bat species respond differentially to habitat modification, and in the context of their diaspore dispersal functions it is important to understand species' ecological requirements. We compared the diversity of diaspores, obtained from fecal samples and from fruits carried by frugivorous bats, among five shaded coffee plantations under different management regimes and a montane rain forest in southeastern Chiapas, Mexico. At each site, bats were captured every 2 mo from March 2004 to July 2005, using six mist‐nets, during two consecutive nights. We captured 2589 individuals from 18 frugivorous species, from which we collected 969 fecal samples, containing 42 diaspore species associated with early and late successional plants. Although, we captured more frugivorous bat species in montane rain forest, the number of diaspore species in this site (N=14) was not significantly different from the coffee plantations under different management regimes (16–24). In montane rain forest, Sturnira ludovici fed mainly on Piper auritum, but in coffee plantations ate Peperomia sp., Saurauia madrensis, Solanum chrysotrichum and Solanum diphyllum. Artibeus jamaicensis and Artibeus intermedius feed mostly Cecropia obtusifolia and Ficus cookii in all coffee plantations. We suggest that the presence of frugivorous bats in shaded coffee plantations is favored by trees and shrubs associated with secondary and introduced vegetation that farmers have allowed to grow within or around the plantations.     

Root morphology,gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence of coffee cultivars and progenies are altered by Meloidogyne paranaensis infestation and water deficit

Climate change greatly influences coffee production, especially in areas infested with plant-parasitic nematodes. In this study, coffee genotypes showed differences in their morphological and physiological characteristics when subjected to a water deficit and parasitism by Meloidogyne paranaensis. The cultivar IPR 100 had the largest superficial and volumetric root system area, even when parasitized. The two progenies (MG 0179-1 and MG 0179-3) and the cultivar Catuaí IAC 62 had a similar surface area (p < .05) when parasitized. However, the root surface area and volume of MG 0179-3 increased by 96% and 400%, respectively, when parasitized by M. paranaensis. On the other hand, Catuaí IAC 62 had a 31% reduction in root surface area. Catuai 62 and IPR 100 showed higher sensitivity to drought when parasitized because of the increased photochemical sensitivity and reduction in photochemical quenching. In MG 0179-1 and MG 0179-3, an increase in non-photochemical quenching occurred in response to stress, indicating that these progenies use a photochemical response to protect photosystem II. In this work, MG 0179-3, which is resistant to M. paranaensis, was remarkable because, interestingly, the infestation caused an increase in its root surface area. In addition, MG 0179-3 had relatively good photochemical performance under water deficit and M. paranaensis parasitism.     

Twig-Nesting Ants: The Hidden Predators of the Coffee Berry Borer in Chiapas,Mexico

Coffee is a globally important crop that is subject to numerous pest problems, many of which are partially controlled by predatory ants. Yet several studies have proposed that these ecosystem services may be reduced where agricultural systems are more intensively managed. Here we investigate the predatory ability of twig-nesting ants on the main pest of coffee, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) under different management systems in southwest Chiapas, Mexico. We conducted both laboratory and field experiments to examine which twig-nesting ant species, if any, can prey on free-living borers or can remove borers embedded in coffee fruits and whether the effects of the twig-nesting ant community differ with habitat type. Results indicate that several species of twig-nesting ants are effective predators of both free-living borers and those embedded in coffee fruits. In the lab, Pseudomyrmex ejectus, Pseudomyrmex simplex, and Pseudomyrmex PSW-53 effectively removed free-living and embedded borers. In the field, abundance, but not diversity, of twig-nesting ant colonies was influenced by shade management techniques, with the highest colony abundance present in the sites where shade trees were recently pruned. However, borer removal rates in the field were significant only in the shadiest site, but not in more intensively managed sites. This study provides evidence that twig-nesting ants can act as predators of the coffee berry borer and that the presence of twig-nesting ants may not be strongly linked to shade management intensity, as has been suggested for other arthropod predators of the borer.