Food Preference, Foraging Activity And Virtual Baiting Of The Forest Fire Ant, Tetraponera Rufonigra (JERDON) (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)

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dc.contributor.authorSumino, Tomoki
dc.date.accessioned2018-10-11T02:16:52Z
dc.date.available2018-10-11T02:16:52Z
dc.date.issued2011-01
dc.description.abstractThis dissertation focuses on the feeding preference, foraging behavior, population estimation, as well as control of the forest fire ant, Tetraponera rufonigra (Jerdon). Among different types of lipid food provided, T. rufonigra preferred egg yolk the most (P < 0.05). However, they did not show any specific preference toward different choices of carbohydrate and proteinaceous foods that were provided (P > 0.05). When their most preferred food from each of the three food class was selected, they showed higher preference for carbohydrate-base food (sucrose) than those of protein-rich food (tuna) and lipid-base food (egg yolk) (P < 0.05). Qualities of food did not affect much on their feeding preference. They were attracted to the sucrose solution from 60% to as low as 20% concentration (P < 0.05). Foraging activity rhythm of T. rufonigra was negatively correlated with ambient relative humidity (y = - 2.5651x + 235.28, r2 = 0.525, P < 0.05) but positively correlated with ambient temperature (y = 11.22x - 288.36, r2 = 0.7304, P < 0.05). Peak activities were recorded between 0800 hours and 1800 hours. It could forage over a distance of 46 ± 8.4m (mean ± SEM, n = 4) and a foraging territory of 2,082.5 ± 202.7m2 (mean ± SEM, n = 4). Nevertheless, its foraging activity was found to be affected by the presence of other ant species. This could have delimitated its foraging distance and territory as observed in this study. The foraging population could reach more than 2,000 for a mature colony of T. rufonigra. Three insecticides namely indoxacarb, fipronil, and deltamethrin, which were tested against T. rufonigra showed 70-98% reduction of foragers after 1 day post-treatment. Almost complete reduction of foragers was achieved within three days for fipronil. However, indoxacarb and deltamethrin were not effective to eliminate T. rufonigra colonies. Although 70-80% reduction was observed after 1 day post-treatment, the number of foragers increased at the following days.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/6748
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversiti Sains Malaysiaen_US
dc.subjectFeeding preference, foraging behavior, population estimationen_US
dc.subjectas well as control of the forest fire anten_US
dc.titleFood Preference, Foraging Activity And Virtual Baiting Of The Forest Fire Ant, Tetraponera Rufonigra (JERDON) (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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