| Sumario: | The invasive mealybug Delottococcus aberiae De Lotto (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has become a key pest in Mediterranean citrus. This mealybug species excretes honeydew that can be consumed by ants, which may give rise to mutualistic relationships and increase the invasibility of this exotic pest. Here, we studied the interaction between D. aberiae and ants in 16 citrus orchards located in the main citrus-growing area of Spain (Valencia) during two consecutive years. The aim of the present research was to study the interactions between D. aberiae and ant species in Spanish citrus orchards to determine whether these interactions can accelerate the invasion by this mealybug species. For this, 16 citrus orchards were sampled during two consecutive years to: i) identify the ant species that attend D. aberiae; ii) determine the level and density-dependence of ant-attendance; and finally, iii) evaluate the correlation between ant activity and D. aberiae density. The data set includes information on the abundance of mealybugs, ants, and predators in different parts of citrus trees from the orchards sampled in spring, summer, and autumn of 2020 and 2021.
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