Food preferences and foraging activity of field populations of a pest ant, Tapinoma indicum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Food preference and foraging activity of a pest ant, Tapinoma indicum (Forel) were investigated in the field. In choice tests, T. indicum demonstrated the highest preference for tuna (p < 0.05) among the proteinaceous food candidates, but no preference was recorded towards any of the candidates of carbohydrate foods. In addition, they were not attracted to lipid foods. Periodical changes of food selection study showed that they preferred carbohydrate food, over proteinaceous or lipid food. Foraging activity studies of T. indicum over a period of 72 hours revealed that their activities were negatively correlated with environmental temperature, but positively correlated with relative humidity.

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