Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Jean Michel Kenfack, Victor Joly Dzokou, Edwige Sidoine Djomaha, Yaouba Aoudou, Hervé Silor Kengne Simo and Richard Ghogomu Tamouh

Abstract:
In Cameroon, we compared recruitment and competition behavior between Solenopsis geminata and two resident ant species i.e. Paratrechina longicornis and Pheidole megacephala. For the recruitment essays, a 35 cm long and 30 cm wide plywood were placed in contact with three nest and fried fish was deposited at 15 cm from the nest. The mean number of Solenopsis geminata foragers collected on the fish was compared with that of the two resident ants. On the other hand, individual and group aggression assays were used to competition evaluation between Solenopsis geminata and the two resident ants. In individual aggression essays, one medium-sized of Solenopsis geminata worker and one medium-sized worker of each resident ant species were separately placed in a Petri dish. Aggression between the two competitor ants was recorded and a comparison was done between ant species on the attacks initiation by the competitors. In the group essay, 150 workers of each resident ant species were separately allowed to competition with 150 workers of Solenopsis geminata and a comparison was done between the two groups of competitors on the mean number of ant species found on the baits and the mean mortality. Our result showed that the mean number of Pheidole megacephala recruited on the fish (156.47±16.05) was the highest, follow by Paratrechina longicornis (140.53±9.21) and Solenopsis geminata (127.54±8.54). During individual aggression essays, Solenopsis geminata workers initiated more attacks (67.33%) than those of Paratrechina longicornis (32.67%), while Pheidole megacephala workers initiated more attacks (62.38%) than those of Solenopsis geminata (37.62%). In the group essay for the species pair, the mean number of Solenopis geminata workers on the bait (30.30±0.60) was higher than that of Paratrechina longicornis (12.16±1.10), while the mean number of Pheidole megacephala workers on the bait (22.50±1.50) was higher than that of Solenopsis geminata (18.60±2.00). Moreover, the mean mortality of Paratrechina longicornis (61.94±0.48) was higher than that of Solenopsis geminata (38.06±0.48), while the mean mortality of Solenopsis geminata (58.64±1.25) was higher than that of Pheidole megacephala (41.36±1.25). The data led us to conclude that Pheidole megacephala is more competitive than Solenopsis geminata and can then be used to his control.