The Neotropical coffee leaf miner is a key coffee pest and in the state of Bahia, one of the major coffee-producing states in the country. The insect finds favorable conditions for its development, causing production losses and intensive use of insecticides. Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze aspects of the profile of coffee crops and the management of the leaf miner, including the use of insecticide for the western and highland regions of Bahia. Data were obtained through questionnaires applied to coffee growers and/or production technicians and included information on the total area, area with coffee, and native vegetation, type of cultivation, cultivars, pest monitoring, methods of control and use, insecticide rotation, and doses used. Descriptive statistical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and canonical correlations indicated differences between farm size, and areas with coffee and native vegetation. Chemical pest control prevails as a management strategy in all farms. The results are important for managing the coffee leaf miner while providing an overview and diagnosis of insecticide use in coffee production in the state of Bahia. An increase in the application of systemic insecticides took place in recent years, similarly (same active ingredients) among most coffee growers. This fact increases the risk of selecting populations resistant to insecticides, compromising the management of the leaf miner in the regions.

Atta capiguara is a grass-cutting ant species frequently found in Cerrado biome. However, little is known about the giant nest architecture of this ant. In this study, we investigated the architecture of three A. capiguara nests from a fragment of Cerrado in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Casts were made of the nests by filling them with cement to permit better visualization of internal structures such as chambers and tunnels. After excavation, the depth and dimensions (length, width, and height) of the chambers were measured. The results showed the shape of Atta capiguara nests consisting of mounds of loose soil with unique features resembling a conic section. The fungus chambers were found distant from the mound of loose soil and were spaced apart and distributed laterally at the soil profile. The waste chambers were located beneath the largest mound of loose soil. Both the fungus and waste chambers were separated and distant. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the so far unknown nest architecture of the grass-cutting ant A. capiguara.

Several fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) assume the status of primary pests in fruit trees grown in Brazil, causing direct production losses. The aims of the study were to know aspects of diversity of fruit flies and their parasitoids in the fruit growing region of Livramento de Nossa Senhora, Bahia. Fruit samples were collected from 19 plant species during November/2011 and June/2014. Infestation rates were calculated in pupae.kg-1 of fruit and pupae.fruit-1. The results indicate the occurrence of Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Neosilba pendula (Bezzi). Plant species Anacardium occidentale, Averrhoa carambola, Carica papaya, Eugenia uniflora, Malpighia emarginata, Mangifera indica var. “Haden”, “Rosa” and “Tommy Atkins”, Opuntia ficus indica, Pereskia bahiensis, Psidium guajava, Spondias lutea, Spondias purpurea and Spondias tuberosa are hosts of fruit flies in the region. Unprecedented bitrophic relationships between P. bahiensis and C. capitata and Anastrepha sp. and between Opuntia ficus indica and C. capitata and A. obliqua were recorded. Unprecedented tritrophic relationship for the state of Bahia Averrhoa carambola and C. capitata and parasitoid of the Pteromalidae Family were also recorded. Tritrophic associations between M. indica var. “Tommy Atkins” and S. purpurea and A. obliqua and Doryctobracon areolatus; and between S. purpurea and A. obliqua and Utetes anastrephae were observed.

Fifteen species of parasitoids emerged from 6 species of scale insects, all are recorded for the first time in Maranhão State, Brazil. A total of 20 coccoid/parasitoid associations were found, 5 of which are new host records for the parasitoid species: Coccus hesperidum (L.) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) with Arrhenophagus chionaspidis (Aurivillius) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae); and Praelongorthezia praelonga (Douglas) (Hemiptera: Ortheziidae) with Aenasius sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Encyrtus aurantii (Geoffroy) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Aprostocetus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Signiphora sp. (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae). Resumo Quinze espécies de parasitoides emergiram de seis espécies de cochonilhas, todas são registradas pela primeira vez no Estado do Maranhão, Brasil. Um total de 20 interações cochonilhas/parasitoides foram encontradas, das quais cinco são novos registros de hospedeiros para as espécies de parasitoides: Coccus hesperidum (L.) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) com Arrhenophagus chionaspidis (Aurivillius) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae); e Praelongorthezia praelonga (Douglas) (Hemiptera: Ortheziidae) com Aenasius sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Encyrtus aurantii (Geoffroy) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), Aprostocetus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) e Signiphora sp. (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae).

Leaf-cutting ants are widely distributed in Brazil, particularly species of the genus Atta. We therefore described the occurrence of leaf-cutting and grass-cutting ant species of the genus Atta. Five routes comprising some of the main highways in the South, Southeast, Center-West, and North of Brazil were sampled, in addition to ants received from other 82 municipalities, composing 300 municipalities sampled. This is the first comprehensive study of Atta in Brazil. The following species were found: A. laevigata, A. capiguara, A. sexdens rubropilosa, A. sexdens piriventris, A. sexdens sexdens and A. cephalotes. Atta laevigata and A. capiguara were the species present in the largest number of the Brazilian municipalities sampled. Atta laevigata assumed the position of species of greatest occurrence in the Brazilian territory. Atta sexdens piriventris was only recorded in the southern region of Brazil. Atta bisphaerica presented lower expansion than A. capiguara. Atta cephalotes and Atta opaciceps are species of very restricted occurrence. Southeastern region was characterized by the occurrence of A. capiguara and A. laevigata. Atta laevigata exhibited a generalized pattern of occurrence in the Center-West and North. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the so far unknown occurrence of leaf-cutting and grass-cutting ants within Brazil.