Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell)

Bustillo, Alex, 2015, Part II. Pests, Compendium of Coffee Diseases and Pests, United States of America: The American Phytopathological Society, pp. 45-60 : 50

Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) ( Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae )

has a pantropical distribution. It is primarily a pest of pineapple but it also infests a great variety of plants, including coffee. This mealybug is commonly found in most coffeegrowing countries, infesting mainly the roots and the neck of the stem ( Fig. 89 ). It is rarely found on coffee berries. D. brevipes goes through three larval stages before becoming an adult. Adult female longevity is 20-26 days. This species is ovoviviparous, the eggs hatching within the female ovisac from which the nymphs emerge. First instar larvae, called crawlers, are the primary dispersal stage in all mealybug species. They have flattened bodies with long hairs that aid in their dispersal by wind. They remain protected underneath the mother’s body for a short time before developing a waxy covering. Nymphs molt three times before reaching adult maturity. The total nymphal period varies from 48 to 68 days.

Males are winged and smaller than females and have a shorter lifespan. Females can also reproduce by parthenogenesis, giving birth to only females. The adult female mealybug is convex in body shape, pale pink or white, broadly oval, and approximately 3 mm long. Lateral wax filaments are usually less than one-fourth as long as the breadth of the body, and those toward the back of the insect are one-half as long as the body. There are 17 pairs of these wax structures. The prelarviposition period lasts for around 27 days. The larviposition (giving birth to crawlers) period lasts for an average of 25 days. They give birth to about 234 progeny but may produce up to 1,000 crawlers. The adult female ’s lifespan varies from 31 to 80 days, averaging about 56 days.

Damage

On coffee plants, D. brevipes infests the roots and may cause stunting and weakening of the plant. A yellowing of plants can be observed. Adult coffee plants rarely die from a mealybug infestation, but newly planted plants may suffer the attack of heavy populations, which can cause their death.

Population Management

Mealybug management often focuses on the control of “caretaker” ants that are essential for the proper development of mealybugs. They provide the mealybugs with shelter, protect them from predators and parasitoids, and keep them clean from detritus that may accumulate in the secreted honeydew and can be deleterious to the colony. Without the ants, mealybug populations are small and slow to invade new areas and the field should remain free of a serious mealybug infestation. Two ant species are responsible for maintaining mealybug populations: Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) and Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) . There are many natural enemies for D. brevipes . The parasitoids include Aenasius colombiensis Compere and Anagyrus ananatis Gahan , and among the predators, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant and Scymnus spp. play an important role in reducing populations. Coffee plantations should be kept clean of host weeds and debris that may support mealybugs. Weeds also provide alternate food sources that maintain ant populations between periods, when mealybug infestations are small. Care should be taken to detect weeds that can also host mealybug populations.

Figures

Fig. 89. Dysmicoccus brevipes on coffee roots. (Courtesy J. C. Ortiz, Cenicafé)