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Abstract
The natural mortality of the coffee leafminer, Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Méneville) was investigated in three strata of coffee plant canopy for three seasons through construction and analysis of ecological life tables. Mortality of the leafminer was similar on all thirds of the canopy. Total mortality of immature stages was 95%, with 38.5, 43.8 and 12.7% occurring during egg, larval, and pupal stages. Rainfall killed 39.3% of eggs and larvae, and together with egg inviability (16.3%) and Vespidae (11.3%), were the highest mortality factors. Six wasp parasitoids caused 8% of larval mortality. Egg and larva were the critical stages. Variation in mortality was primarily associated with egg inviability, rainfall, and parasitism by Horismenus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Physiological disturbances during molting and metamorphosis also contributed for fluctuations in mortality of the leafminer. Tactics of integrated pest management to enhance natural mortality of the leafminer while conserving or augmenting the action of natural enemies are discussed.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr Carvalho Carlos Ecole for providing a collection of parasitoids of L. coffeella and the research assistants Andre Crespo, Adilson Antônio, Altair Semeão, Elizângela Fidelis, Jander Rosado, Jardel Pereira and Lessando Gontijo for their help conducting this study. Funding was provided by the Brazilian Ministry of Education through the CAPES Foundation.