NUTRITIONAL ECOLOGY AND THERMAL REQUIREMENTS OF WEAVER ANTS (Oecophylla smaragdina): IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LABORATORY REARING AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Abstract

Weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), are ecologically and economically important predators with strong potential as biological control agents in tropical agroecosystems. Despite their significance, little is known about their long-term rearing requirements under controlled laboratory conditions, particularly with respect to diet and temperature. This study investigated the dietary preferences and optimal rearing temperature of O. smaragdina through systematic choice and no-choice feeding trials combined with a one-year colony growth experiment. Nine diet types representing protein, carbohydrate, and lipid sources were tested in choice feeding trials, while four protein sources were assessed in non-choice trials. Colony growth and fecundity were simultaneously monitored across three constant temperature regimes (22°C, 25°C, and 29°C). Results showed a clear preference for carbohydrate-rich diets, such as sugar and glucose solutions, which supported high foraging activity. At the same time, protein-rich foods, particularly mealworms and crickets, were selectively transported to nests and were essential for brood development. Colonies reared at 29°C demonstrated significantly higher growth rates and larger final colony sizes compared with those at 25°C and 22°C, indicating that warmer conditions favor colony development. These findings highlight the combined influence of temperature and nutrition on the performance of O. smaragdina, providing practical guidelines for laboratory rearing. Improving dietary supplementation and rearing conditions enhances colony establishment and sustainability, supporting the use of weaver ants as effective biological control agents in oil palm plantations and other tropical cropping systems.