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Pheidole ants as potential biological control agents of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Col., Curculionidae), in Southeast Brazil
Author(s) -
Fernandes W. D.,
Oliveira P. S.,
Carvalho S. L.,
Habib M. E. M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1994.tb00822.x
Subject(s) - anthonomus , biology , curculionidae , overwintering , pheidole , predation , biological pest control , boll weevil , ecology , agronomy , ant
This study evaluates the potential of ants as natural biological control agents of the boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis ), during the between‐season period, in South‐east Brazil. Active adults of Anthonomus were experimentally distributed on the ground of the cotton field. Results show that 20% of the adult Anthonomus are attacked and removed by foraging ants. The native ant Pheidole oliveirai was by far the most efficient predator, accounting for 94 % of the predation on Anthonomus. Recruited workers of P. oliveirai were usually very fast at transporting the weevils to their nests. The potential benefit of suppressing overwintering adult Anthonomus during the between‐season period is mainly that of reducing the risk of high level infestations during the next cropping cycle.