Development of a Bait System for the Pharaoh’s Ant, <i>Monomorium Pharaonis</i> L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract

The infestation of the Pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis L. is widespread and, sometimes, very serious in homes, hospitals, restaurants, factories, etc. People are helpless because effective baited traps are not available locally, and little has been done locally to develop effective control strategies for these ants. The study aimed at developing an appropriate bait system from local materials for the control of the Pharaoh's ant. Nine baits and three insecticides were evaluated in the laboratory and field situations. Groundnut cake, dry fish and granulated sugar were the most attractive baits. Rimon (a Benzoylphenyl urea), an insect growth regulator, was the most promising insecticide for incorporation into the bait system. It is, therefore, recommended that a bait system, containing groundnut cake, sugar and dry fish, mixed with 1% Rimon, be evaluated for Pharaoh's ant control.

A high-throughput and sensitive method for food preference assays in walking insects

“…This method often surpasses traditional spraying because it targets the entire colony, including the queen and brood, by allowing ant workers to carry the toxicant into the nest (Klotz et al 2007;Hoffmann et al 2016). Baits have been shown to be effective both in the field and in buildings (Hays and Arant 1960;Osae et al 2011;Josens et al 2017;Choe et al 2021) .…”