Marques, T.E.D., Azevedo Koch, E.B., Silva dos Santos, I., Maia dos Santos, J.R., Mariano, C.S.F., & Delabie, J.H.C. 2018 The diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) interacting with the invasive hibiscus mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green 1908) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on ornamental and cultivated plants in Bahia, Brazil. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 12: 237–246

Keywords:

ant association

Notes: The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus is sometimes found in mutualistic association with ants, which help spread this pest and also prey on or remove its natural enemies. Here, we describe for the first time the interactions between ants and M. hirsutus in Brazil, focusing on cocoa trees, Theobroma cacao (L., Malvaceae), and on the ornamental species Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth (Mimosaceae), and hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. (Malvaceae), all in the state of Bahia, Brazil.