Indigenous weaver ants and fruit fly control in Tanzanian smallholder mango production

Grower Perception of the Significance of Weaver Ants as a Fruit Fly Deterrent in Tanzanian Smallholder Mango Production

“…1). Also, there was no significant difference in the number of fruit flies landing on mangoes from trees with or without weaver ant colonies (Table 2) reinforcing a similar,preliminary study in Kiroka that showed only a very marginal, deterrent effect of weaver ants on fruit fly landings (Kirkegaard et al, 2016). This contrasts with a number of studies from other locations with fruit flies in mango orchards in Australia and SE Asia successfully controlled when populations of weaver ants (O. smaragdina) were maintained in the trees (Peng & Christian, 2005a, b, 2006Van Mele et al, 2001).…”

“…This diminished view of fruit flies as a pest is due, in part, to the common practice of harvesting mangoes at early maturity stage, with little or no flesh softening, when the fruits are less attractive to the flies (Mayamba et al, 2014). Fruit fly problems are also reduced as a consequence of local, postharvest practices that raise fruit temperatures to levels that are lethal to a significant proportion of deposited eggs and emerged larvae, limiting the development of infestation (Kirkegaard et al, 2016). These practices include respiration-generated heating when the fruits are stored in the baskets typically used for transport and the effects of limited-duration smoking commonly used to accelerate fruit ripening before sale.…”

“…Ant population management , involving moving nests to colonise trees and providing food sources when the mangoes are not fruiting, would required additional labour and material resources and would be similarly unpopular. Fortuitously, existing postharvest practices related to packing for storage and transport and smoking to accelerate ripening reduce the effects of fruit fly infestation in mango to locally acceptable levels (Kirkegaard et al, 2016).…”