Abstract :
Weaver ants nest on plants but the extent of such associations is unknown for many species. Literature records of weaver ant host plants from 1945 to 2016 showed that Camponotus textor Forel, 1899 (= Camponotus senex), the brazilian savanna weaver ant, was recorded on 17 plant species belonging to 11 families. Our field survey recorded nine plant species in eight families at Brazilian Cerrado. Overall, we expanded the list to a total of 24 host plant species and 14 families, including economically important tree species as mango, citrus and jambo trees. Such host plants could be used to augment establishment of weaver ants, facilitating their role in biocontrol as deterrents of phytophagous insect pests of economically important plants.
Keyword :
brazilian savannah, Camponotus senex, host plant, nest, nidification, survey