Queen Nest Location of the Weaver Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, in Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
A study on the queen nest location of weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina; Family: Formicidae) was carried out during 2013-2014 in Thailand. This study aims in attempt to record the, size, structure, location, and facing direction of queen nest. The queen nest was recognized by the presence of a large number of workers guarded and protected by in comparison with non - queen nest. The total number of nests, nest size, nest structure, including height of tree, height and width of canopy, as well as the abundance of workers and worker behavior were all recorded. It has been observed that there was a single queen in a nest per colony. The queen nests were frequently found in taller trees. It was found that queen lives in a small nest. The nest opening was larger in queen nests than in non-queen nests. The majority of the queen nests were found in the middle of canopy. There were significant correlations between location of queen nest with respect to the height and width of canopy (r= 0.648; P<0.01; r= 0.527; P<0.05). Most of the queen nests were facing the south direction, whereas the opening of the nest faced southwest direction. There were a large number of workers in queen tree in comparison with non-queen tree. All workers were quickly recruited and showed aggressive behavior if the colony was disturbed. The queen was closely guarded and protected by the workers when she was out of her nest. This study represents new findings related to the biology of weaver ants. And the outcome is significant in the sense that it will lead to solve the problem of ant farming in Thailand and the results presented here can be applied to culture the weaver ants in non-weaver ant areas.
Article Details
ข้าพเจ้าและผู้เขียนร่วม (ถ้ามี) ขอรับรองว่า ต้นฉบับที่เสนอมานี้ยังไม่เคยได้รับการตีพิมพ์และไม่ได้อยู่ในระหว่างกระบวนการพิจารณาตีพิมพ์ลงในวารสารหรือสิ่งตีพิมพ์อื่นใด ข้าพเจ้าและผู้เขียนร่วม (ถ้ามี) ยอมรับหลักเกณฑ์และเงื่อนไขการพิจารณาต้นฉบับ ทั้งยินยอมให้กองบรรณาธิการมีสิทธิ์พิจารณาและตรวจแก้ต้นฉบับได้ตามที่เห็นสมควร พร้อมนี้ขอมอบลิขสิทธิ์ผลงานที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์ให้แก่วารสารวนศาสตร์ คณะวนศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์ กรณีมีการฟ้องร้องเรื่องการละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์เกี่ยวกับภาพ กราฟ ข้อความส่วนใดส่วนหนึ่ง หรือ ข้อคิดเห็นที่ปรากฏในผลงาน ให้เป็นความรับผิดชอบของข้าพเจ้าและผู้เขียนร่วม (ถ้ามี) แต่เพียงฝ่ายเดียว และหากข้าพเจ้าและผู้เขียนร่วม (ถ้ามี) ประสงค์ถอนบทความในระหว่างกระบวนการพิจารณาของทางวารสาร ข้าพเจ้าและผู้เขียนร่วม (ถ้ามี) ยินดีรับผิดชอบค่าใช้จ่ายทั้งหมดที่เกิดขึ้นในกระบวนการพิจารณาบทความนั้น”
References
Hilkenbäumer, F. 1983. Schnitt der Obstgehöze.13. Auflage Verlag J.Neumann-Neudamm. Melsungen 144.
Hölldobler, B. and E. O.Wilson. 1990. The Ants. Belknap Press of Harvard UniversityPress, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
King Mongkut’s University of TechnologyThonburi,.King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang Prince of Chumphon Campus and Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Wangkraikangwon Campus. 2012. The study evaluated the potential of its electricity from wind power in the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand to the south on the provinces. National Research Council of Thailand. (in thai)
Metzner, R. 1979. Das Schneiden der Obstbäume and Beerensträucher. 14. Auflage. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart.
Na Songkhla, P. 2012. The architectural style bush. Thankanpim Company Limited (1): 204 (in Thai)
National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). 2002. Wind Energy. Bangkok: 44. (in Thai)
Offenberg, J. and D. Wiwatwitaya. 2009.Conference on International Research on Food Security, Natural Resource Management and Rural Development. Weaver Ants Convert Pest Insects into Food-Prospects for the Rural Poor, October 6-8, 2009. University of Hamburg
Peng, R. and K. Christian. 2005. The control efficacy of the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), on the mango leafhopper, Idioscopus nitidulus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidea) in mango orchards in the Northern Territory. International fournol of pest Management 51(4): 297-304.
Puangmalee, J. and Suksard, S. 2014. Usevalue of non-timber forest products at khao khew community forest, hua khao sub district, doem bang nang buat district, suphan buri province. Thai J. For. 33 (1): 76-84 (in Thai)
Robinson, T. A., A. L. Lakso. And S. G. Carpenter. 1991. Canopy development, yield, and fruit quality of “Empire”and “Delicious” apple trees grown in four orchard production systems for ten years. J. Amer. Soc. Hort.Sci. 116 (2): 179-187.
Strauss. E. and R. Novak. 1998. Obstbau-Praxis. Österreichischer Agrarverlag,Klosterneuburg. 386. Varnishagul, G. 2003. Styling and pruning fruit trees. Kasetsart University (1):213 (in Thai)
Van Mele, P. and N. T. T. Cuc. 2000. Evolution and status of Oecophylla smaragdinaas a pest control agent in citrus in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. International Journal of Pest Management 46: 295-301.
Van Mele, P. 2007. Improving your Tree Crops with Weaver ants. Africa Rice Center (WARDA). Ants as Friends. Cotonou, Benin and CABI, Egham, UK.
Van Mele, P. 2008. A historical review of research on the weaver ant Oecophylla in biological control. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 10:13-22.
Vanderplank, F. L. 1960. Oecophylla sp. And its relationship to the coconut bug. Psedotheraptus wayi Brown (Coreidae ) J. The bionomics andecology of the red free ant Anim. Ecol. 29: 15-33.
Van Itterbeeck, J., N. Sivongxay, B. Praxaysombath and A. V. Huis. 2014. Indigenous Knowledge of the edible weaver Ant Oecophylla smaragdina Fabricius Hymenoptera: Formicidae from theVientiane Plain, Lao PDR. Society of Ethnobiology 5: 4-12.
Varela, A. M. 1990. Work on the biology of Oecophylla longinoda. Annual Report 1989-90, NCDP. 71-82
Way, M. J. 1954. Studies on the life history and ecology of the ant Oecophyll longinoda Latreille. Bull. Entomol. Res. 45:93 -112.
Way, M. J. and K. C. Khoo, 1989. Relationship between Helopeltis theobromae damage and ants with special reference to Malaysian cocoa smallholdings. J.
Plant Prot. Trop. 6: 1-11.
Way, M. J. 1992. Role of ants in pest management. Rev.Entomal. 37: 479-503.
Wiwatwittaya, D. 2009. Life of weaver ant.Kasetsart University. (in Thai)