Staff View: Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations

Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations

The bagworm (Metisa plana) is a recurrent indigenous invasive defoliator in oil palm plantations. Moderate foliar injury can cost up to 40% yield loss and more for years. The main objective of this review is to disseminate published research demonstrating the versatile services that would benefit fa...

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Main Authors:	Exelis, Moise Pierre, Ramli, Rosli, Ibrahim, Rabha W., Idris, Azarae Hj
Format:	Article
Published:	MDPI 2023
Subjects:	GE Environmental Sciences
Online Access:	http://eprints.um.edu.my/38996/
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spelling	my.um.eprints.389962024-11-28T00:58:05Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/38996/ Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations Exelis, Moise Pierre Ramli, Rosli Ibrahim, Rabha W. Idris, Azarae Hj GE Environmental Sciences The bagworm (Metisa plana) is a recurrent indigenous invasive defoliator in oil palm plantations. Moderate foliar injury can cost up to 40% yield loss and more for years. The main objective of this review is to disseminate published research demonstrating the versatile services that would benefit farmers by adopting the Asian weaver ant into their pest management agenda. Oecophylla smaragdina is a natural indigenous enemy applied as a successful biological control agent (BCA) and strong component of integrated pest management (IPM) against important damaging pest infestations of commercial crops in the Asia-Pacific region. Farmers facing invasion could benefit by introducing Oecophylla ants as a treatment. The foraging behavior and population dynamics of this species are poorly documented, and hence need further evaluation. Ants of the Oecophylla genus, while exhibiting an intrinsic obligate arboreal pattern, demonstrate additional lengthy diurnal ground activity. The absolute territorial characteristic via continuous surveillance is significantly valuable to maintain pest balance. The exploratory scheme of major workers over large territories is derived from their inner predation instinct. The insufficient understanding of the population dynamics of this weaver ant species diverges from the knowledge of underground species. However, population density estimations of weaver ants by direct nest visual recordings are practicable and viable. The abundance assessment of individual underground ant species colonies by excavation ends with their extinction, which is not a sustainable model for O. smaragdina. Mathematical model estimation by simulation could not resolve this issue, adding inaccuracy to the deficiency of experimental proof. Thus, long-term monitoring of the population dynamics in real time in the field is compulsory to obtain a valid dataset. Oecophylla colonies, with the criteria of population stability, individual profusion, and permanent daily patrol services, are eligible as a BCA and alternative IPM treatment. The last decades have witnessed the closing of the scientific applied research gap between Asian and African species in favor of O. longinoda with comprehensive novel findings. By introducing Oecophylla ants, two main goals are reached: easing the burden of management costs for injurious insects and ending the practice of applying highly toxic pesticides that are harmful to non-target taxa, thus promoting environmental restoration. MDPI 2023-01 Article PeerReviewed Exelis, Moise Pierre and Ramli, Rosli and Ibrahim, Rabha W. and Idris, Azarae Hj (2023) Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations. Sustainability, 15 (1). ISSN 2071-1050, DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010780 <https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010780>. 10.3390/su15010780
institution	Universiti Malaya
building	UM Library
collection	Institutional Repository
continent	Asia
country	Malaysia
content_provider	Universiti Malaya
content_source	UM Research Repository
url_provider	http://eprints.um.edu.my/
topic	GE Environmental Sciences
spellingShingle	GE Environmental Sciences Exelis, Moise Pierre Ramli, Rosli Ibrahim, Rabha W. Idris, Azarae Hj Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
description	The bagworm (Metisa plana) is a recurrent indigenous invasive defoliator in oil palm plantations. Moderate foliar injury can cost up to 40% yield loss and more for years. The main objective of this review is to disseminate published research demonstrating the versatile services that would benefit farmers by adopting the Asian weaver ant into their pest management agenda. Oecophylla smaragdina is a natural indigenous enemy applied as a successful biological control agent (BCA) and strong component of integrated pest management (IPM) against important damaging pest infestations of commercial crops in the Asia-Pacific region. Farmers facing invasion could benefit by introducing Oecophylla ants as a treatment. The foraging behavior and population dynamics of this species are poorly documented, and hence need further evaluation. Ants of the Oecophylla genus, while exhibiting an intrinsic obligate arboreal pattern, demonstrate additional lengthy diurnal ground activity. The absolute territorial characteristic via continuous surveillance is significantly valuable to maintain pest balance. The exploratory scheme of major workers over large territories is derived from their inner predation instinct. The insufficient understanding of the population dynamics of this weaver ant species diverges from the knowledge of underground species. However, population density estimations of weaver ants by direct nest visual recordings are practicable and viable. The abundance assessment of individual underground ant species colonies by excavation ends with their extinction, which is not a sustainable model for O. smaragdina. Mathematical model estimation by simulation could not resolve this issue, adding inaccuracy to the deficiency of experimental proof. Thus, long-term monitoring of the population dynamics in real time in the field is compulsory to obtain a valid dataset. Oecophylla colonies, with the criteria of population stability, individual profusion, and permanent daily patrol services, are eligible as a BCA and alternative IPM treatment. The last decades have witnessed the closing of the scientific applied research gap between Asian and African species in favor of O. longinoda with comprehensive novel findings. By introducing Oecophylla ants, two main goals are reached: easing the burden of management costs for injurious insects and ending the practice of applying highly toxic pesticides that are harmful to non-target taxa, thus promoting environmental restoration.
format	Article
author	Exelis, Moise Pierre Ramli, Rosli Ibrahim, Rabha W. Idris, Azarae Hj
author_facet	Exelis, Moise Pierre Ramli, Rosli Ibrahim, Rabha W. Idris, Azarae Hj
author_sort	Exelis, Moise Pierre
title	Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
title_short	Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
title_full	Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
title_fullStr	Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
title_full_unstemmed	Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations
title_sort	foraging behaviour and population dynamics of asian weaver ants: assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms metisa plana (lepidoptera: psychidae) in oil palm plantations
publisher	MDPI
publishDate	2023
url	http://eprints.um.edu.my/38996/
_version_	1817841941884174336
score	13.223943

Foraging behaviour and population dynamics of Asian weaver ants: Assessing its potential as biological control agent of the invasive bagworms Metisa Plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in oil palm plantations

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