Multi‐scale mosaics in top‐down pest control by ants from natural coffee forests to plantations

While top-down control plays an important role in shaping both natural and agricultural food webs, we lack insights into how effects vary across spatial scales. We used a multi-scale survey of coffee pests diseases by arboreal ants to examine if colony location creates small-scale mosaic around trees the strength that varies between sites at landscape scale. investigated pest disease levels on shrubs different distances from shade with without Crematogaster spp. ant 59 along management intensity gradient southwestern Ethiopia. Within sites, significantly suppressed herbivory leaf rust less than 10 m nesting trees. Top-down varied stronger free-feeding near colonies lower skeletonizer higher canopy cover. conclude is highly heterogeneous scales, as consequence biology predator small scale herbivore density or changes herbivore–ant interactions