Cultivation of weaver ants in the household: a case study of economically valuable tree planting areas in Surin Province

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study host tree species, production volume, costs, and income from raising weaver ants in the economically valuable tree planting areas of the Forest Conservation Community Enterprise Group (FCCEG), developing life with a sufficiency economy in Surin Province. Purposive sampling was used to choose a total of seven sampling plots from the FCCEG. Overall, the study's findings revealed that 16 different plant species, including low shrubs, hardwood ivy, and perennials, are frequently utilized by weaver ants to construct their nests. Mangifera indica was the most popular host tree species among weaver ants, chosen for building 17.42 percent of their nests. Dipterocarpus alatus, Swietenia mahogany, Syzygium cumini, Xylia xylocarpa, and Azadirachta indica followed with 14.39, 10.61, 9.09, 8.33, and 8.33 percent of nests, respectively. It was discovered that weaver ant nests ranged in number from one to twelve per tree. Weaver ant nests varied in size, with measurements of 9.4 x 12.2 centimeters on Olax psittacorum and 24.8 x 31.5 centimeters on Acacia mangium. Following a six-month period of raising the ants, production varied from 18.5 to 285.5 grams per nest. Upon conducting a six-month analysis of the economic costs (September 2022 - February 2023), it was discovered that the average total cost per plot per raising cycle was 4,576.77 baht. Weaver ant crops are harvested by farmers from early February until late May. The range of productivity was 5.0–10.0 kilograms per farming cycle, with income ranging from 3,500 to 7,000 baht per plot. The selling price was 700 baht per kilogram.