Daily Foraging Activity of Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Leaf-cutting ants

Mariane Aparecida Nickele,Marcio Roberto Pie,Susete Do Rocio Chiarello Penteado,Wilson Reis Filho

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v63i1.902

Abstract

Leaf-cutting ants are well-known insects due to their remarkable activity as herbivores and the considerable economic damage they cause to many crops. The identification of season and time of day when leaf-cutting ants are most active is an important tool, not just to understand the foraging ecology of these ants, but also to optimize their control in plantation areas where they were pests. Thus, the aims of this study are to evaluate the daily foraging activity of leaf-cutting ant species of the genus Acromyrmex, which occur in forest plantations in Southern Brazil. Foraging activity of Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel) and Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus (Forel) were correlated with weather conditions, and it was more intense during spring and summer. Workers that forage at night are significantly heavier than workers that forage during the day. This study showed that A. crassispinus and A. subterraneus subterraneus did not forage at temperatures below 10-11°C. Then, the use of granulated baits to control these leaf-cutting ants species where they were pests should be done just under favorable conditions of temperature for Acromyrmex foraging activity (over 12°C), to ensure maximum collection of baits by ants and the least left-over baits.

Highlights

Leaf-cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex, Formicidae) are possibly the most important herbivores of terrestrial environments throughout the Neotropics, leading to considerable economic losses to a variety of crops (Hölldobler & Wilson, 2011)
Foraging activities of A. crassispinus and A. subterraneus subterraneus leaf-cutting ants occurred at night and during the day, it was correlated with weather conditions, such as temperature and humidity
Acromyrmex crassispinus and A. subterraneus subterraneus did not forage at temperatures below 10°C and 11°C, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Leaf-cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex, Formicidae) are possibly the most important herbivores of terrestrial environments throughout the Neotropics, leading to considerable economic losses to a variety of crops (Hölldobler & Wilson, 2011). Temperature and relative humidity have marked effects on the activities of all animal species (Begon et al, 2006) and the behavior of leaf-cutting ants is strongly influenced by those parameters (Roces & Kleineidam, 2000; Bollazzi & Roces, 2002). Temperature primarily affects both worker activities by inhibiting or reducing foraging, as well as the speed of brood development, conditions that directly determine the growth rate ofa colony (Gamboa, 1976; Porter, 1988; Porter & Tschinkel, 1993). The fungus gardens have strict demands of high humidity and temperatures between 20 and 30oC for proper growth (Powell & Stradling, 1986)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion