Plants, pests, and ants: ethnoknowledge of countryside communities on vegetable gardens

Vegetable gardens are important for maintenance of food security and biodiversity. This is particularly true for insects, as the presence of species in vegetable gardens is defined by traditional control methods that have been applied for generations and are linked to the knowledge of traditional communities. In this context, we aimed to identify the knowledge of rural communities regarding family vegetable gardens, including the vegetables cultivated, the main vegetable pests, their control methods, and the role of ants in these environments. We interviewed 46 families from five rural communities in Santa Rita de Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Among them, 44 families reported that they currently have or have had a vegetable garden at their residence. A limited number of vegetables ethnospecies are commonly cultivated, primarily lettuce and kale. The families possess a broad knowledge of alternative pest control methods. Regarding ants, the communities generally view them only as pests to vegetables. In this context, strategies to preserve traditional knowledge and disseminate it among traditional communities are essential for the preservation of the regional culture and the conservation of agrobiodiversity.