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The pugnacious ant, Anoplolepis custodiens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and its beneficial effect on coconut production in Tanzania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

B. Löhr
B. Löhr*
Affiliation:
National Coconut Development Programme, Dar es Salaam, TZ
*
Dr B. Löhr, National Coconut Development Programme, P.O. Box 6226, Dar es Salaam, TZ.
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Abstract

In a field of six hectares, the number of palms foraged by Anoplolepis custodiens (Smith) increased from January to December 1988 from 32 to 85% and the ant activity scores (0–3 system) from 0.5 to 2.0. During the same time, the population of the coconut bug, Pseudotheraptus wayi Brown (Heteroptera: Coreidae) as well as the damage it caused, decreased significantly. A significant relationship between low percentages of damaged nutlets and high ant scores of the palms could be established. The nut set of ant foraged palms was 2–3 times higher than that of comparable palms in an immediately adjacent field free of A. custodiens. Palms with high A. custodiens scores had invariably high scores of the coconut aphid, Cerataphis variabilis Hille Ris Lambers (Homoptera: Aphididae). The performance of the palms was not visibly affected by the aphids.

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 82 , Issue 2 , June 1992 , pp. 213 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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