Nutrient preferences in invasive ant species in various environments at Texas A&M University
Abstract
This study served to provide information on how environmental conditions affected food preferences in different environments. It was hypothesized that a difference between food preference would arise between the urban and rural environments. Eugenol based mouse traps were placed at three different locations around Texas A&M University: Legett Hall, Research Park, and between Appelt and The Commons. At each location, potato, hot dogs, and sugar water were used as baits for the traps. These served as bases to test for preferences towards protein, starch, and glucose. The traps were placed during the month of November for four trials, which each lasted four days. Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) were collected and identified at every location. Tawny crazy ants (Nylanderia fulva) were collected and identified during the second trial at the location between Appelt and The Commons. There was a preference shown towards the protein source in the more urban area around Legett Hall and a preference towards the glucose in the more rural Research Park as well as the location between Appelt and The Commons. S. invicta was found to be the most prevalent species of ants at Texas A&M University, making up 317 of the 328 total ant specimens collected. The species differentiation proved insignificant in the conclusions drawn from this study. The lack of native Texas species of ants indicated a dominance of invasive ant species at the Texas A&M University campus. In these invasive ant populations, it was determined that there were differences in food preference in different environmental setting on the Texas A&M University campus. Ants in more rural environment preferred the glucose in the sugar water source and ants in the more urban environment preferred protein in the chicken and pork hot dogs.References
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