Sap-sucking Hemiptera, tending ants, and Sternorrhyncha predators on Acacia auriculiformis saplings fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge

Soil fertilization with dehydrated sewage sludge accelerates the recovery process of degraded areas, improving nutrient concentration, and favors the development of webs with pioneer plants such as Acacia auriculiformis and insects. This study aimed to evaluate the sap-sucking hemipteran insects, tending ants, and Sternorrhyncha predators in A. auriculiformis saplings fertilized with or without dehydrated sewage sludge, over two years in a degraded area. Acacia auriculiformis saplings fertilized showed higher numbers of sap-sucking Hemiptera Aleyrodidae, Aethalion reticulatum, and Erythrogonia sexguttata, the tending ant Brachymyrmex sp., and the Sternorrhyncha predators Cycloneda sanguinea and Syrphus sp.. Acacia auriculiformis saplings with higher numbers of branches/sapling showed a positive effect on the sap-sucking Hemiptera Achillidae and A. reticulatum and the tending ant Brachymyrmex sp.. The highest numbers of Cephalotes sp., Brachymyrmex sp., and Pheidole sp. were positively associated with those of Aleyrodidae, A. reticulatum, and Membracidae, respectively, in A. auriculiformis saplings. Saplings with high numbers of Cephalotes sp. had low numbers of C. sanguinea. The use of A. auriculiformis, fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge, is promising in recovering degraded areas due to the increase in sap-sucking Hemiptera, tending ants, and Sternorrhyncha predators. In addition, these ants associated with sap-sucking Hemiptera reduce Sternorrhyncha predators.