Search

Areas planted with Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake variety platyphylla F. Muell. (Myrtaceae) expand annually in most regions of Brazil. Many lepidopteran species defoliate this plant, but with damage varying per species. The objective of this study was to identify the pest status of lepidopteran defoliators based in the faunistic analysis of these insects and of their natural enemies on E. urophylla variety platyphylla plantations in a representative producing region of Brazil. Adult moths of lepidopterans and of their natural enemies were captured using a light trap, installed every two weeks, from September 2016 to August 2018. A total of 183, 10, three and 139 lepidopteran species was captured and classified as primary, secondary, without defined importance to eucalypt plants and non-identified with 1,419, seven, 465 and 876 individuals, respectively. Two primary pest species were constants, two accessories and six accidentals and all secondary ones were accidentals. Six primary pest species were common and dominant and four non-dominants. Faunistic indices indicated the main lepidopteran species that should be monitored in pest management programs. Seven hymenopteran species (65 individuals), three dipterans (49 individuals) and two hemipterans (four individuals) were the natural enemies collected using light traps. The monitoring of lepidopteran pests with light traps can contribute to the management and to reduce damage and control costs for these species, besides identifying natural enemies for biological control programs in Eucalyptus plantations.

The bioecology and infestation aspects of Neotuerta platensis Berg, 1882 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on plants are poorly known. This insect fed on the leaves of common purslane, Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) for two consecutive years, which triggered its study in the following five years in Januária, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The objective of this work was to study the bioecology and infestation aspects of N. platensis on P. oleracea plants in the field and laboratory. The mean duration (± SD) of the egg, larva and pupa stages was 3.6 ± 0.89, 11.5 ± 2.81 and 10.7 ± 1.97 days, respectively. The mean numbers of egg masses and eggs per female (± SD) were 3.8 ± 1.16 and 891.6 ± 116.83, respectively. The percentage of infested plants was 59, 74, 0, 78 and 75% and the mean numbers of larvae per plant (± SD) ranged from 0.7 ± 0.45 to 1.6 ± 0.49 individuals, respectively from 2015 to 2019. Neotuerta platensis larvae infested P. oleracea plants in four out of five years evaluated.