Monday, December 11, 2006 - 8:47 AM
0277

Enhancing the potential of the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a biological control agent of the mahogany shoot borer, Hypsipyla robusta (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Grace T. Lim, gracelim@vt.edu1, Scott M. Salom1, Laurence G. Kirton2, and Loke T. Kok1. (1) Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Entomology, 216A Price Hall MC0319, Blacksburg, VA, (2) Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Biotechnology Division, Entomology Unit, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius), inhibits infestation of the mahogany plant by the shoot borer, Hypsipyla robusta (Moore), a major pest of mahoganies worldwide. Host plant species of the weaver ant were identified in a survey covering four diverse vegetation types in Central West Peninsular Malaysia. Of three favored host plant species, Morinda citrifolia (Linnaeus) had a significantly higher abundance of the ant than the other two species. Inter-planting M. citrifolia with mahogany may enhance the introduction and establishment of weaver ant colonies for control of the mahogany shoot borer.


Species 1: Hymenoptera Formicidae Oecophylla smaragdina (weaver ant, green tree ant)
Species 2: Lepidoptera Pyralidae Hypsipyla robusta (mahogany shoot borer, cedar shoot moth)
Species 3: Rubiales Rubiaceae Morinda citrifolia (Noni, Mengkudu)

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

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