Influence of Brood on the Nutritional Preferences of the Tropical Ant Species,yxvutsrponmljihgedcbaSPOLEA Pheidole megacephala (F.) and Ochetellus glaber (Mayr) 1 Mary L. Cornelius 2 and J. Kenneth Grace Department of Entomology, University of Hawaii 3050 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822 U.S.A. J. Entomol. Sci. 32(4): 421-429 (October 1997) ABSTRACT The influence of brood on the nutritional preferences of two ant pests,zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZXVUTSRQPONMLIHGFEDCBA Pheidole megacephala (F.) and Ochetellus glaber (Mayr), was examined. Both ant species preferred fruit fly pupae and diamondback moth larvae to tuna and peanut butter. The foraging rates of O. glaber for proteins and carbohydrates depended upon both the food type and the amount of brood present. When O. glaber foragers were presented with a choice of tuna (a less preferred source of protein) and sucrose, the foraging rate was always greater on sucrose, regardless of the presence of brood. However, when ants were presented with fly pupae (a more preferred source of protein) and sucrose, the foraging rate on pupae was greater than on sucrose for colonies containing brood and the foraging rate on protein and sucrose was similar for colonies without brood. The foraging rate of P. megacephala for proteins and carbohydrates depended upon the type of protein, but was not affected by the presence of brood. Key Words Ants, brood, foraging, baits, Pheidole megacephala, Ochetellus glaber In Hawaii, ants are alien species that have flourished due to the favorable climate, abundant food sources, and lack of natural enemies (Reimer 1994). Ants in Hawaii are pests in urban, agricultural, and natural environments. Toxic baits are currently a popular method for control of ant infestations in Hawaii because baits are more likely to kill queens and brood than insecticidal sprays, especially when ant colonies are difficult to locate (Williams et al. 1990, Knight and Rust 1991, Williams and Vail 1993). Toxic baits are also considered to be less likely to cause environmental contamination than liquid insecticide applications. However, baits need to be highly acceptable in order to attract foraging workers in the presence of other food sources. Thus, research on food preferences of the major pest ants of Hawaii is necessary to improve toxic bait efficacy. 1 Received 15 October 1996; Accepted for publication 27 April 1997. 2 Current address: Kauai Agricultural Research Center, University of Hawaii, 7370-A Kuamoo Road, Kapaa, HI 96746. 421 Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/jes/article-pdf/32/4/421/1561887/0749-8004-32_4_421.pdf by guest on 06 June 2022