Franco, R., Cardenas M., R., Montoya, E.C., & Zenner de Polaní­a, I. 2003 Ants associated with sucking insects in the aerial part of the coffee tree.. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 29(1): 95-105.

Notes: Ants are found isolated from or associated with other insects directly or indirectly affecting the coffee plants. In order to clarify some of these associations, studies were conducted in <3-year-old coffee plantations. Ants and associated homopteran insects were collected and identified, the relationships between them were described. A field guide for identification of the formicids was elaborated. The study was carried out in seven experimental substations of Cenicafé (Colombia). The data obtained from the field records were analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 114 different associations were recognized; 30 ants species of the Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Dolichoderinae and Ponerinae subfamilies associated with 12 homopteran of the Coccidae, Pseudococcidae, Aphididae, Ortheziidae, Aethalionidae and Membracidae families were found. The sucking insects most common on the coffee plants were: Coccus viridis, Saissetia coffeae, Planococcus citri, Toxoptera aurantii and Orthezia sp. Three types of relationships were identified: mutualism (95.11%), commensalism (4.57%) and depredation (0.32%). The highest number of ants and associated sucking species were registered at the Supia (Caldas) and Libano (Tolima) sites. The ants indirectly protect the homopteran colonies against natural enemy attack through cleaning and covers, however, they do not exercise a direct action against fungi, parasites and predators that act as natural control agents and regulate the homopteran population.