Studies on the Abundance of Oecophylla smaragdina Fabricius (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) on Mango and Cashew
C. Shanmuga Priya *
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar – 608002, Tamil Nadu, India.
T. Nalini
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar – 608002, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the abundance of weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) on mango and cashew trees at Veerakan and Malayadipalayam villages between July 2022 and June 2023 as a measure of ant-plant interaction. The highest percentage of nests occurred during April 2023 and lowest in December 2022, for both trees. The Offenberg index, reached its maximum during April 2023 for mango trees at Veerakan village (83.34) and during August 2022 for mango trees at Malayadipalayam village (66.67). In cashew trees, the Offenberg indices peaked during April 2023 at Veerakan village (60.20) during November 2022 at Malayadipalayam village (71.85). These findings emphasize the importance of abundance patterns of O. smaragdina in strengthening its role as a biocontrol agent within integrated pest management systems.
Keywords: Abundance, Oecophylla smaragdina, cashew, mango, nests, offenberg index