Acceptability of different sugars and oils to three tropical ant species (Hymen., Formicidae)

Abstract

Baits are generally more effective than insecticidal sprays and dusts for controlling ant infestations. It is important to use a highly acceptable food attractant in order for baits to be effective. We examined the acceptability of 6 sugars and oils to 3 ant species,Pheidole megacephala (Fab.),Ochetellus glaber (Mayr), andParatrechina longicornis (Latr.). One of these sugars, melezitose, is a trisaccharide found only in the honeydew of homopterous insects.P. megacephala showed a significant preference for melezitose over maltose and trehalose, but not over fructose and surcose. O.glaber significantly preferred sucrose over maltose andP. longicornis did not show any significant preferences for the different sugars.P. megacephala showed a significant preference for olive oil. NeitherO. glaber norP. longicornis showed a preference for the different oils and there were very low numbers ofO. glaber andP. longicornis workers attracted to oiltreated disks. Hence, oil-based baits would probably not be effective for controlling either of these latter two ant species.