Nylanderia fulva (Tawny crazy ant) The tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva, has recently become one of the most notorious pests in southern US. One of the main goals of this project is to find the origin of invasive populations of the ant and to evaluate potential...
Huanglongbing (HLB) HLB is a lethal disease produced by a bacterium of the Candidatus Liberibacter genus and transmitted by the psyllid Diaphorina citri that affects citrus, obstructing the transport of nutrients in the plant. The spread of the disease can be avoided by preventing its re-entry...
Clorosis Variegada de los Cítricos (CVC) In search of a rational management of Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC) disease in Argentina, we are conducting surveys of potential vectors (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) of CVC in citrus agroecosystems of NOA and NEA, in order to select egg parasitoids for their...
Hypogeococcus sp., Cactaceae Brasil-Puerto Rico haplotype (Cactus mealybug) Hypogeococcus sp., a member of the H. pungens species complex “HCM”, is a serious pest of cacti in Puerto Rico, and a threat to cacti in the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States. As the damage caused by...
Wasmannia auropunctata (Little fire ant) The little fire ant is a pest, not only in some places in its native range (Colombia and Brazil), but also in new invaded areas: Caribbean and Pacific Islands, Subtropical Atlantic Islands, the USA and West Africa. Its presence has been associated...
Solenopsis invicta, S. richteri (Fire ants) The population density of fire ants in southern South America is several times lower than in the areas where they have been introduced: southern USA, Puerto Rico and California, Arizona and New Mexico. This species affects agriculture, wildlife and human...
Gamma radiation and natural compounds for the control of invasive and/or pest ants The use of gamma radiation in ants is currently an alternative that is being used to replace the use of conventional insecticides to control invasive and/or pest ants. Low doses of ionizing radiation are...
Cactoblastis cactorum (Cactus moth) Cactoblastis cactorum, the cactus moth, is native to South America and feeds on plants of the genus Opuntia. The larvae eat internal tissues gregariously, favoring secondary infections, exposing the plant to death. This pest threatens the unique diversity of cacti and the...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Atta spp., Acromyrmex spp. (Leaf-cutting ants) Leaf-cutting ants (Acromyrmex and Atta spp.) are one of the most important herbivores and one of the worst pests of the Neotropics. They produce several billion-dollar losses annually. The growth rate and survival of...