TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of the green ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), on insect pests of cashew trees in Australia
AU - Peng, R.K.
AU - Christian, K.
AU - Gibb, K.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - The influence of green ants, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius), on insect pests of cashew, Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus, in tropical northern Australia was investigated using field surveys and field observations. Oecophylla smaragdina was abundant in the native vegetation of the area, and it was a dominant predator when found in cashew plantations. Oecophylla smaragdina significantly reduced the numbers of the four most important species of insect pests (Helopeltis pernicialis Stonedahl, Malipatil & Houston, Penicillaria jocosatrix (Guenée), Amblypelta lutescens (Distant) and Anigraea ochrobasis Hampson) on cashew trees, and trees with higher numbers of O. smaragdina produced higher quality nuts than trees with fewer numbers of O. smaragdina. Other ant species also reduced pest numbers, but not as much as O. smaragdina. The possibility of using O. smaragdina to control insect pests of cashew in the future is discussed. © 1995, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
AB - The influence of green ants, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius), on insect pests of cashew, Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus, in tropical northern Australia was investigated using field surveys and field observations. Oecophylla smaragdina was abundant in the native vegetation of the area, and it was a dominant predator when found in cashew plantations. Oecophylla smaragdina significantly reduced the numbers of the four most important species of insect pests (Helopeltis pernicialis Stonedahl, Malipatil & Houston, Penicillaria jocosatrix (Guenée), Amblypelta lutescens (Distant) and Anigraea ochrobasis Hampson) on cashew trees, and trees with higher numbers of O. smaragdina produced higher quality nuts than trees with fewer numbers of O. smaragdina. Other ant species also reduced pest numbers, but not as much as O. smaragdina. The possibility of using O. smaragdina to control insect pests of cashew in the future is discussed. © 1995, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.
KW - cashew
KW - green ant
KW - pest control, Australia, Amblypelta lutescens
KW - Anigraea ochrobasis
KW - Formicidae
KW - Helopeltis pernicialis
KW - Hymenoptera
KW - Oecophylla smaragdina
KW - Penicillaria jocosatrix
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0029477405&doi=10.1017%2fS0007485300034374&partnerID=40&md5=f88a16fc114a1a2ce9ba3590c468ff8a
U2 - 10.1017/S0007485300034374
DO - 10.1017/S0007485300034374
M3 - Article
VL - 85
SP - 279
EP - 284
JO - Bulletin of Entomological Research
JF - Bulletin of Entomological Research
SN - 0007-4853
IS - 2
ER -