ACTIVITY PATTERNS AND FORAGING ACTIVITY IN NESTS OF ECTATOMMA-TUBERCULATUM (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) IN CACAO PLANTATIONS

Activity patterns and foraging habits of Ectatomma tuberculatum Olivie r were studied in nests in cacao plantations of the Soconusco region, Chiapas, Mexico, in both dry and wet seasons. Most foraging was in cac ao trees. Foraging was mainly nocturnal during the dry season while di urnal foraging was more important in the rainy season. More varied foo ds were brought to the nest during the rainy season. Out of 936 sample s of food material taken to the nest by foraging ants, 64.5% consisted of solids and 35.5% of liquids, the latter obtained mainly from the e xtra-floral nectaries of the cacao, homopterans or fallen fruit. Solid foods were mostly insects belonging to 11 orders, the most frequent b eing Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera (larvae) and Homoptera. Most of the inse ct prey were phytophagous, and only a small fraction were entomophagou s. These results show that E. tuberculatum can be an important natural control agent of some phytophagous insects that are potential pests f or cacao in this region.