HELICONIINAE (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) DEFOLIATORS OF PASSIFLORACEAE AND THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES IN CERRO PUNTA, CHIRIQUÍ

Abstract

The aim of this research was to identify the species of defoliating larvae of passion fruit (Passiflora ligularis) and curuba or tumbo (Passiflora tripartita), as well as their natural enemies. The land of the Experimental Station of the Institute of Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP), located in Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, Panama, was selected as the study area. The foliage of both plant species was randomly reviewed, manually collecting larvae and pupae for analysis and identification in the laboratory, as well as for the possible recovery of adults and parasitoids, consulting specialized literature. Additionally, surrounding wild vegetation was reviewed. According to the results, two species of defoliating larvae were identified, Dione juno (Cramer, 1779) and Agraulis vanillae (L., 1758) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae); both with apocematic coloration (mainly black and orange) and widely distributed from southern North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America; being reported as pests of Passifloraceae in other countries. However, adult specimens are pollinators, playing a vitally important role in the sustainability of plant biodiversity. As for natural enemies, in the field the presence of lacewing eggs (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and spiders hunting larvae were observed, and in the laboratory four pupae of Tachinidae (Diptera) were recovered, from which an adult of Lespesia archippivora (Riley, 1871) could emerge, which has been previously reported as a parasitoid of D. juno. In conclusion, the defoliating larvae that affect Passifloraceae in Cerro Punta correspond to two Heliconiinae species, which have at least three natural enemies in said agroecosystem.