Perceptions and impacts : an observational pilot study of the effects of Argentine ants on honey bees in New Zealand

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Perceptions-and-Impacts-An-Observational-Pilot-Study-of-the-Effects-of-Argentine-Ants-on-Honey-Bees-in-New-Zealand-by-Graham-Jones-Sarah-Jayne-Fenwork-Urvashi-Lallu-and-Diane-Fraser.pdf (669.75 KB)

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Authors

Jones, Graham
Fraser, Diane
Lallu, Urvasha
Fenwick, Sarah-Jayne

Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)

Degree

Grantor

Date

2016-05-16

Supervisors

Type

Journal Article

Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)

Keyword

honeybees (Apis mellifera)
Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)
New Zealand
invasive species
beekeepers
surveys

ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)

050103 Invasive Species Ecology
050202 Conservation and Biodiversity

Citation

Jones, G., Fenwick, S-J., Lallu, U. and Fraser, D. (2016). Perceptions and Impacts: An observational pilot study of the effects of Argentine Ants on honey bees in New Zealand. Perspectives in biosecurity research series, 2016(1), Unitec ePress. ISSN: 2422-8494. Retrieved from http://www.unitec.ac.nz/epress/

Abstract

The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is an invasive species first identified in New Zealand in 1990. It is an aggressive tramp species that can form very large ‘super colonies’ extending over vast areas and has been reported to rob honey and predate honey bees in hives. This pilot study sought to establish, from a circulated survey of beekeepers, which ant species were present in their hives and what awareness the beekeepers had of the potential impact of Argentine ants. In addition, a simple method of quantifying the effects of the Argentine ant on brood abundance was trialled in the field. Results indicate that several species of ant are commonly found in hives and that surveyed beekeepers generally regard ants as passive occupiers. A percentage cover estimate of brood cover in frames may be a simple way of measuring ant impact when comparing hives uninfected by ants. Photographic evidence is presented as further indication that L. humile foraged within the hive and actively fed on both honey and emerging brood.

Publisher

Unitec ePress

Permanent link

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/3420

Link to ePress publication

http://www.unitec.ac.nz/epress/index.php/perceptions-and-impacts-an-observational-pilot-study-of-the-effects-of-argentine-ants-on-honey-bees-in-new-zealand/

DOI

Copyright holder

Unitec ePress

Copyright notice

Licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 New Zealand

Copyright license

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/nz/

Available online at

www.unitec.ac.nz/epress

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Natural Sciences Journal Articles