Biological control as potential means to protect honey bee colonies from driver ant (Dorylus quadratus) attack (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Tropical Africa

Journal Article

Shenkut..., Ahmad A Al Ghamdi, Nuru Adgaba, Awraris G. . 2015

• المجلة \ الصحيفة: The proceedings of 1st Continental symposium on honey production, bee health and pollination services in Africa
• رقم العدد: 1
• رقم الإصدار السنوي: 1
• الصفحات: 1-5

مستخلص المنشور

In the tropics, honey bee pests are more serious and economically important than honeybee diseases and among which ants are the most damaging pests. Many species of ants are known to attack honey bees (Hepburn & Radloff, 1998. Among which Driver ants species, Dorylus quadratus, have been described as the greatest natural enemy of honeybees in tropics (Robinson, 1982; Adjare, 1990).
Driver ants can destroy all honey bee colonies in an apiary, carrying off all brood and stores in a matter of hours (Dubois & Collart, 1950; Robinson, 1982). In areas where driver ants are common, commercial bee farms, backyard beekeeping and use of box hives, have been deterred by fear of the ants, and beekeepers are forced to hang their hives on the branches of tall trees which makes it difficult to manage the colonies properly. Various cultural practices and mechanical ant-barrier methods have been used to minimize the driver ant invasions. However, virtually impossible to find a foolproof way of protecting honey bees from ants invasion.