Pineapples, a terrestrial bromeliad grown widely in tropical and subtropical regions, produce a single, fleshy fruit after a long maturation period. The sweet, fragrant aroma of the ripening fruit attracts various wildlife and opportunistic insects. While the plant’s tough, spiky leaves offer some natural defense, they are often insufficient to protect the developing fruit or the plant’s underlying structure. Understanding the specific threats, from large animals to microscopic pests, is the first step in successful cultivation. Protecting the harvest requires implementing targeted strategies that address these distinct challenges.
Animals That Target the Pineapple Fruit
Once the pineapple ripens and its sugars concentrate, it attracts mammals and birds that bypass the spiky exterior. Raccoons and opossums are common nighttime raiders that tear into the fruit using dexterity and strength. Their damage is typically extensive and messy, often involving the fruit being pulled off the stem.
Smaller rodents, such as squirrels and rats, use sharp incisor teeth to chew through the tough skin to access the sweet pulp. Their damage appears as smaller, focused holes or gnaw marks, often near the base where the skin is softer. Fruit-eating birds, including parrots, may also peck at the ripening fruit, leaving small, shallow puncture marks on the surface.
Pests That Attack Leaves and Roots
Pineapples are susceptible to smaller pests that weaken the entire plant structure, leading to poor yields or plant death. Mealybugs, particularly the pink pineapple mealybug, are sap-sucking insects that colonize the leaves, stem, and shallow roots. These pests secrete honeydew, which attracts ants that actively protect the mealybugs from natural predators and move them to new feeding sites.
Mealybug feeding causes leaves to turn yellow, wilt, and can transmit the pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus, causing the plant to decline. Microscopic nematodes, such as root-knot and reniform nematodes, also attack the roots. Damage from these soil-borne pests stunts plant growth, reduces the root system’s ability to absorb water and nutrients, and causes the leaves to lose turgidity and turn red.
Protective Fencing and Exclusion Methods
Physical exclusion is the most reliable method for preventing larger animals from reaching the ripening fruit. A perimeter fence should be constructed from sturdy wire mesh, such as hardware cloth or chicken wire, with a mesh size small enough to deter rodents. For maximum protection against burrowing animals like raccoons and opossums, the bottom edge of the fence should be buried at least six to twelve inches deep and bent outward in an “L” shape.
Individual fruit protection offers a targeted approach once the fruit begins to form. Covering each developing pineapple with a paper bag, a mesh sleeve, or a protective cage made from cut plastic jugs creates a physical barrier. This method blocks access and obscures the visual and aromatic appeal of the ripening fruit. For smaller animals and birds, protective netting draped over the entire planting area and secured tightly at the ground level is an effective deterrent.
Cultural Control and Natural Deterrents
Managing the growing environment, known as cultural control, can significantly reduce the risk and severity of pest infestations. Sanitation requires the regular removal of fallen or overripe fruit and old plant debris, which attracts pests and harbors diseases. This practice eliminates food sources and breeding grounds for many insects and animals.
Managing the symbiotic relationship between ants and mealybugs is an important control point, as eliminating the protective ant population exposes mealybugs to their natural predators. Applying a band of sticky barrier material around the plant base can prevent ants from climbing up to tend the mealybugs.
To combat soil-borne issues like nematodes, cultural practices such as crop rotation or leaving the soil fallow for a period before replanting can suppress the pest population. Healthy root systems are also supported by planting on raised beds to ensure good drainage, which prevents the waterlogged conditions where many fungal diseases thrive. For direct pest control, natural substances like neem oil can be applied to the foliage to disrupt the feeding and reproduction of mealybugs and thrips.