Observations of a beetle herbivore on a bromeliad in Peru

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Burgess, J., E. Burgess, and M. Lowman. 2003. Observations of a beetle herbivore on a bromeliad in Peru. Journal of the Bromeliad Society 53:221–224.

Abstract: Although herbivory in bromeliads has been reported as negligible, we have been studying a species where this is not the case. Aechmea nallyi L.B. Smith grows in the canopy of Amazonian lowland tropical rain forest in northeastern Peru. Although it is relatively rare on a global scale, it is locally common along the canopy walkway at ACEER (Amazon Center for Education and Environmental Research), recently renamed ACTS (Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies), located along the Napo River (3 15'S, 72 54'W). We have measured herbivory of these bromeliads over five years, but only found and identified the herbivore responsible for the damage after four years of diligent searching.

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