ANT REPELLENT EFFECT OF THE STERNAL GLAND SECRETION OF POLISTES-DOMINULUS (CHRIST) AND P-SULCIFER (ZIMMERMANN) - (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE)

The long-chain carboxylic acids identified in the sternal gland secret ion of Polistes dominulus and P. sulcifer females were tested individu ally on three species of ants, Crematogaster scutellaris, Formica cuni cularia, and Lasius sp., in order to verify if they have a repellent e ffect. The unsaturated acids (palmitoleic, linoleic, and oleic) act as repellents of all three ant species, while the saturated acids (lauri c, myristic, palmitic, and stearic) have no effect. The mixture reprod ucing the secretion of the sternal glands of P. dominulus maintained i ts repellency for at least four days.