we studied the co-occurrence of two pests in coffee plants, the red spider mite Olygonychus ilicis (Acari: Tetranychidae) and the white mealybug Planococcus minor (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), which predominantly attack the aerial part of coffee plants and populations of both species peak in the dry season, but there is no report whether they share the same host plant. Given that both herbivores are potential plant manipulators, we examined whether herbivory by the white mealybug or the red spider mite can facilitate colonization and establishment of the other species in coffee plants. We conducted host preference and performance assays with the white mealybug and the red spider mite. These tests also allowed us to infer which sequence of attack in multiple infestation in coffee is more likely to occur. Briefly, our study showed that infestation by red spider mites facilitated the colonization and development of white mealybugs, while herbivory by mealybugs did not alter host preference by red spider mites, but increased plant resistance to them. These results indicate that multiple infestation in coffee plants by red spider mites followed by white mealybugs is a likely condition that deserves further investigation with regard to herbivore-induced changes.

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