Australian Journal of Entomology (2003) 42, 349-351

Sarah Mansfield, Natalie V. Elias and James A. Lytton-Hitchins (2003)
Ants as egg predators of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Australian cotton crops
Australian Journal of Entomology 42 (4), 349-351
Abstract: Helicoverpa armigera is a major pest of Australian cotton crops. To assess the impact of ant predation on H. armigera populations, the behaviour of four common ant taxa was observed in cotton crops in northern New South Wales over the 1999-2000 and 2001-02 seasons. Areas of cotton were artificially stocked with H. armigera eggs prior to observation. Pheidole spp. were the most frequently observed ants within the crop canopy in 1999-2000 and took the most H. armigera eggs. Iridomyrmex spp. were more frequently observed than Pheidole spp. in 2001-02 and also took some H. armigera eggs. Neither Paratrechina spp. nor Rhytidoponera metallica (Smith) took any H. armigera eggs, although both were seen in the crop canopy. Irrigation, cultivation and insecticide application disrupted foraging ants and limited their impact on H. armigera populations.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Sarah Mansfield

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Helicoverpa armigera	Cotton (Gossypium)	Australia (South+SE)
Pheidole (genus - predators)	Helicoverpa armigera	Cotton (Gossypium)	Australia (South+SE)