Entomofauna Associated with Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficusindica Miller) in San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico

摘要

The prickly pear (Opuntia ficusindica Miller) is an important crop for the municipality of San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico; like other crops grown in intensive and monoculture agriculture, it presents problems of insect pests, of which there is no record for the municipality. Aerial parts of the crop were directly inspected 20 days apart during 1 year obtaining 1,115 specimens of five Orders, 18 families, 22 genera, and 14 species. The most important Orders of the insects collected were Hemiptera with 40.9%, Coleoptera 27.2%, Diptera 18.1%, Hymenoptera 9.0%, and Orthoptera 4.5%. The species with the highest incidence were Dactylopus opuntidae Cockerell 36.5%, Cactophagus spinolae Gyllenhal 10.4%, Dysdercus suturellus Herrich-Schaeffer, and Solenopsis sp. Westwood 9.1%. Five species of potential insect pests were found (Cactophagus spinolae, Dactylopus opuntidae, Hesperolabops nigriceps, Sphenarium purpurascens, Dysdercus suturellus) and four species were beneficial (pollinators and predators) (Sphaerophoria scripta, Podisus maculiventris, Stiretrus anchorago, Hippodamia convergens).