Reciprocal protection from natural enemies in an ant-wasp association

Reciprocal protection from natural enemies in an ant-wasp association.

We show that in French Guiana the large carton nests of Azteca chartifex, a territorially-dominant arboreal dolichoderine ant, are protected from bird attacks when this ant lives in association with Polybia rejecta, an epiponine social wasp. Because A. chartifex colonies are well known for their ability to divert army ant raids from the base of their host tree so that they protect their associa...

Mechanisms of symbiont-conferred protection against natural enemies: an ecological and evolutionary framework.

Many vertically-transmitted microbial symbionts protect their insect hosts from natural enemies, including host-targeted pathogens and parasites, and those vectored by insects to other hosts. Protection is often achieved through production of inhibiting toxins, which is not surprising given that toxin production mediates competition in many environments. Classical models of macroecological inte...

Prospecting for viral natural enemies of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta in Argentina

Metagenomics and next generation sequencing were employed to discover new virus natural enemies of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren in its native range (i.e., Formosa, Argentina) with the ultimate goal of testing and releasing new viral pathogens into U.S. S. invicta populations to provide natural, sustainable control of this ant. RNA was purified from worker ants from 182 S. invicta colo...

The Natural Enemies of Locusts

Fig. T. Redwing Locust, dead from Beauucria globlllifera. (Natural size). that death occurs about six to eight days after infection. The infected insect ceases feeding, wanders aimlessly about, and just before death hides in a shady spot on or near the ground. The bottom of the cane stools are favourite places. After death, the whole of the inside of the insect is full of a white growth of fung...

Side Effects of Insecticides on Natural Enemies and Possibility of Their Integration in Plant Protection Strategies