Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie (1995) 119, 45-48

G. Rapp and M.S. Salum (1995)
Ant fauna, pest damage and yield in relation to the density of weeds in coconut sites in Zanzibar, Tanzania
Journal of Applied Entomology - Zeitschrift für angewandte Entomologie 119 (1), 45-48
Abstract: The weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda Latr. attacks the coconut pest Pseudotheraptus wayi Brown. The big headed ant Pheidole megacephala Mayr is the most important enemy of O. longinoda. After the stop of weed control in a coconut site, the number of palms colonized by O. longinoda increased from 696 trees in April 1991 to 1776 palms in April 1992 because P. megacephala stopped attacking O. longinoda and started to forage on the weeds and bushes on the ground. From September 1991 until October 1992 60 068 nuts were harvested. The control of P. megacephala with Amdro in a neighbouring plot of the same size was less effective because the initial colonization by O. longinoda in the plot was much lower. These palms produced 28 413 nuts less. It is concluded that reduced weed control can enhance O. longinoda.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pseudotheraptus wayi	Coconut (Cocos nucifera)	Tanzania
	Pheidole megacephala		Tanzania
Oecophylla longinoda (predator)	Pseudotheraptus wayi	Coconut (Cocos nucifera)	Tanzania