Effect of Starvation on the Contact-Free Aggressive Behavior and Predation Activity of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

摘要

The effects of starvation on aggressive behavior and predation of Solenopsis invicta were investigated. The fire ant workers showed significantly aggressive behavior towards Pheidolepieli workers when they were face to face with each other. There wasno significant difference in cumulative time of mandible opening and antennal retraction between different treatments. There was a highly significant difference in survival rate of Bactrocera dorsalis larvae among different starvation treatments, with the groups of control and one day starvation treatment showing a higher survival rate of B. dorsalis than longer starvation treatments. After more than two days' starvation, the fire ant workers were active in attacking the maggots. Thirty minutes after putting the fire ants and maggots together, the survival of the B. dorsalis decreased sharply to nearly 50% in the groups where starvation duration was more than two days, whereas in control or one day starvation group the survival of the maggots was morethan 90%. Summarizing the results, the starvation factor had no significant effect on the aggressive behavior of S. invicta but did effect their predation efficiency.