Abstract

Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), are among the main insect pests of lemon production in Mexico. They damage flowers and fruits, thus, requiring several pest management approaches, including biological control. To determine the relationship between the populations of these pests and their main natural enemies, we estimated the population densities of thrips and their natural enemies in the citrus growing area of Apatzingán Valley, Michoacán, Mexico, in five conventional Mexican lemon orchards from May 2018 to December 2022. The detected natural enemies were Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) at a density of 0 to 0.57 individuals per branch, Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) at 0 to 0.26 individuals per branch, and Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) at 0 to 3.18 individuals per branch. Nonlinear exponential regression analyses were conducted with the population density of F. occidentalis, population densities of its natural enemies, and the sum of the population densities of the natural enemies in each orchard. A strong correlation was observed with the mean population density of F. occidentalis and the accumulated population densities of C. rufilabris, H. convergens, and A. swirskii.