Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects - EcoPort

4.9 Dysmicoccus brevipes 153
INDONESIA
Kalshoven (1981) reported that D. brevipes is attended by the ant,
Monomorium sp.
IVORY COAST
D. brevipes is bisexual with a sex ratio usually of 2 males to 1 female. Ants
attending the pineapple mealybug were species of Camponotus,
Crematogaster and Pheidole (Re‡l 1959).
JAMAICA
Here and throughout Central America D. brevipes colonies of any size were
invariably attended by Solenopsis ants. Where Solenopsis was not present
mealybug colonies were rare and small (Carter 1935).
MALAYSIA
The pineapple mealybug D. brevipes is the most serious insect pest of
pineapple in peninsular Malaysia. Infected plants become stunted and
reddish and eventually wilt. Fruit are small and unsuitable for canning. In
addition to wilting, the mealybug causes green spotting of the leaves, which
is not of economic importance (Khoo et al. 1991).
The bisexual form of D. brevipes has been studied in some detail by Lim
(1972). It was the only form found in 14 pineapple areas visited in Johore
and Selangor. The bisexual form had a life cycle 10 day shorter than the
parthenogenetic form in Hawaii, although it was less prolific.
MAURITIUS
D. brevipes was first reported as a major pest of pineapples in 1933, probably
having been introduced on pineapple suckers from Hawaii about 1931. It
was attacked by three native predators, the coccinellid Scymnus mauritiusi,
the drosophilid fly Gitonides perspicax, and the pineapple scale, Diaspis
bromeliae (Jepson 1939b) but they produced little impact. The coccinellid
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri was introduced from South Africa and liberated,
but did not become established (Moutia and Mamet 1946). The mealybug is
attended by Pheidole megacepahala, Solenopsis geminata and
Technomyrmex detorquens (Jepson and Wieke 1939).
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
D. brevipes is recorded attacking taro where it is subject to predation by the
coccinellids Cryptolaemus affinis, C. montrouzieri and C. wallacii (Shaw et
al. 1979).
PHILIPPINES
Two strains (grey and pink) of the pineapple mealybug are present and it is
suggested that they may have been introduced with planting material from
Hawaii, in which case they would represent D. neobrevipes and D. brevipes
respectively. The grey strain produces green spotting of the leaves, whereas
the pink strain produces only chlorotic spots. Some pineapple cultivars can
be seriously damaged by pineapple wilt which is caused by both strains. Two