Cheng, S., Zeng, L., & Xu, Y. 2015 Mutualism Between Fire Ants and Mealybugs Reduces Lady Beetle Predation. Journal of Economic Entomology 108(4):1560-1569

Keywords:

ant association

biological control

Notes: We assessed whether the interaction between the two invasive species Solenopsis invicta and Tinsley mediated predation of P. solenopsisPropylaea japonica Thunbery lady beetles using field investigations and indoor experiments. A field investigation showed that the species richness and quantity of lady beetle species in plots with fire ants were much lower than in those without fire ants.