ARE ANTS SIGNIFICANT PREDATORS OF THE OLIVE MOTH, PRAYS OLEAE

ELISA tests showed that ants were significant predators of the olive m oth, Prays oleae (Bernard), a major pest of olives but as ants partake of trophallaxis and scavenge, the ELISA test results could not be ful ly trusted. Consequently, direct observations of one ant species, name ly Tapionoma nigerrimum (Nylander), confirmed that workers take P. ole ae, but many fewer than the ELISA results suggested. Whether this is d ue to trophallaxis or egg predation remains unresolved. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.