Main Article Content

Authors

The crazy ant (CA) has become an environmental, social and economic problem and there is a need to explore for natural enemies that might regulate its populations. With that objective, a survey was conducted by means of visual observation and captures of CA and other ants in two zones: El Colegio (Cundinamarca) representing a zone once highly infested by this pest and the Cauca RiverValley where there are areas currently affected by the CA. CA was not caught in El Colegio but a large number of ant species belonging to other genera and subfamilies were collected. Under these conditions, it was not possible to detect natural enemies, but equilibrium was reestablished together with the disappearance of CA, with no clear explanation up to now. In the Cauca Valley, no pathogens and parasitoids were found other than the mite Macrodinychus sellnicki, which was found parasitizing O to 82% of CA pupae in the Risaralda and INCAUCA, S. A. sugar milis, respectively. In field observations the army ant, Labidus pos. coecus, which feeds on others ants was detected in CA nests. In the least disturbed sarnpled, La Trozada, CA was detected in the presence of other native ants, in a situation where competition for resources constitutes an important element in the regulation of pest populations. These situations suggest that high levels of CA infestation are not permanent and their duration is influenced by characteristics of the areas they invade. The importance of natural enemies is that they weaken CA populations, allowing competitors, particularly other ants, to reduce them in infested areas.

VARGAS-O., G. A., DÍAZ-P., P. A., LASTRA-B., L. A., MESA-C., N. C., ZENNER DE POLANÍA, I., & GÓMEZ, L. A. (2004). Survey of the natural enemies of the crazy ant, Paratrechina fulva (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the municipality of El Colegio (Cundinamarca) and in the Cauca River valley. Revista Colombiana De Entomología, 30(2), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.25100/socolen.v30i2.9560

ALDANA, R. C.; BAENA, M. L.; CHACÓN DE ULLOA, P. 1995. Introducción de la hormiga loca (Paratrechina fulva) a la reserva natural laguna de Sonso (Valledel Cauca, Colombia) Boletín Museo Entomológico de la Universidad del Valle 3 (1): 15-28.

ARAGÓN, C. X.; LIBREROS, S. M. 2002. Estudio ambiental de la madrevieja La Trozada. Municipio de Guadalajara de Buga. Universidad Central del Valle del Cauca. Facultad de Ingeniería. Programa de ingeniería ambiental y recursos naturales. Trabajo de Grado. Tuluá. 187 p.

ARCILA, A.; GÓMEZ, L. A.; CHACÓNDEULLOA, P.2000. Ciclo de vida de la hormiga loca Paratrechina fulva Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) y demografía de colonias en condiciones de laboratorio. Informe final COLCIENCIAS-CENICAÑA.Cali. I I p.

BRIANO, J. A.; PATTERSON, R.S.; CORDO, H.A. 1995. Long-term studies of the black imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) infected with a microsporidium. Environmental Entomologist 24 (5): 1328-1332.

CHACÓN DE ULLOA, P.; BUSTOS, J.; ALDANA, R. C. 1996. Informe final resumido: programa de control, monitoreo, capacitación y divulgación de la hormiga loca en la Reserva Natural Laguna de Sonso. Informe a la CVC. Cali. 10 p.

GÓMEZ, L. A. 1999. Segundo informe anual: manejo integrado de la hormiga loca Paratrechina fulva. Informe COLCIENCIAS CENICAÑA. Cali. 33 p.

GÓMEZ, L. A. 2001. Cuarto informe anual: manejo integrado de la hormiga loca Paratrechina fulva. Informe COLCIENCIAS CENICAÑA. Cali. p. 7-23.

GÓMEZ, L. A.; LASTRA, L. A. 1997. Avancesen el manejo de la hormiga loca, Paratrechina fulva (Himenoptera: Formicidae) en el cultivo de la caña de azúcar. IV Congreso Colombiano de la Asociación de Técnicos de la caña de Azúcar. TECNICAÑA.Memorias Tomo 1. p. 32-41. Cali 24-26 de sept.

GÓMEZ, L. A.; LÓPEZ DE PULIDO, C. 1995, Determinación de un método de muestreo para la hormiga loca en caña de azúcar. Revista Colombiana de Entomología 21 (3): 105-110.

GONZÁLEZ, V. E. 2002. Observaciones del ciclo biológico del acaro Macrodinychus sellnicki, ectoparasitoide de la hormiga loca Paratrechina fulva (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Trabajo de Grado. Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Palmira. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Palmira. 103 p.

HERNÁNDEZ, P.; MARTÍNEZ.Y.; INSUASTY, O.; GÓMEZ, L. A.; CAMACHO, J. A.; MANRIQUE, R. 2002. Efecto del control de malezas y la fertilización sobre la población de la hormiga loca, Paratrechina fulva en caña panelera en la hoya del río Suárez (Santander). Revista Colombiana de Entomología 28 (1): 83-90.

HÓLLDOBLER, B.; WILSON, E. O. 1990. The ants. The Belknap press of Narvard University press. Cambridge, Mass.732 p.

JAFFE, K.1993. El mundo de las hormigas. Equinoccio, ediciones de la Universidad Simón Bolívar. Caracas, Venezuela. 187 p.

LASTRA.L. A.; GÓMEZ, L. A. 2000. Efecto de la cosecha en verde sobre los insectos asociados con la caña de azúcar. Cali, CENICAÑA 2000. 12p. (Documento de trabajo No. 467)

LONGINO.J. T. 1999. Ecitoninae of La Selva biological station web site. http://www.evergreen.edu/ants/genera/ecitoninae Fecha de última revisión: 10 de noviembre de 2001. Fechade último acceso: 5 de marzo de 2002.

MAJER, J. D.; DELABIE, J. H. C.: SMITH, M. 1994. Arboreal ant community patterns in Brazilian cocoa farms. Biotropica 26 (1): 73-83.

MAS, A. H. 1999. Butternies as biodiversity indicators and shade coffe certification in Chiapas, México. Thesis for degree of master of Science (Natural Resoursesand Environment) in the University of Michigan.

PECK., S. L.; MAcQUAID, B.; CAMPBELL, C. L. 1998. Using ant species (Nymenoptera: Formicidae) as a biological indicator of agroecosystem condition. Environmental Entomology 27 (5): 1102-1110.

PORTER, S. D. 2000. Host specificity and risk assessment of releasing the decapitating fly Pseudacteon curvatus as a classical biocontrol agent for imported tire ants. Biological Control 19: 35-47.

SILVERMAN J; NSIMBA, B. 2000. Soil free colIection of argentine ants (Nymenoptera: Formicidae) based on food-directed brood and queen movement. Florida Entomologist 83 (1): 10-16.

VANDERWODE, C.; LOBRY DE BRUlN, L. A.; HOUSE, P.N. 2000. Response of an openforest ant community to invasion by the introduced ant. Pheidole megacephata. Austral Ecology 25: 253-259.

ZENNER, 1. 1992. Aspectos biológicos y de manejo de la hormiga loca. Miscelánea Sociedad Colombiana de Entomología: en Seminario: Normigas: características, daños y manejo. Bogotá. p 32-41.

<< < 1 2 3 > >>