| More
Information |
|
|
|
|
| Category |
Practices |
|
|
| Title |
Using Red Ants to Prevent Pest Attack |
|
|
| Details |
Loganathan studied till tenth standard. He is employed in Customs Department. During his leisure time he developed interest in growing medicinal, ornamental and horticultural species.
He has developed simple technique of rearing red ants in the garden. The red ants feed on the stem borer in coconut, cashew nut, mango, moringa etc. He places five baskets of ash under the trunk of tree near the tree collar region. He then takes clay soil or loamy soil from tank. The soil should not be easily dissolved when moist.
Above this layer he sprinkles jaggery powder. This attracts red ants, which make nesting nearby. The increased ant population is beneficial in controlling stem borers or any caterpillar pests in the garden.
Ants, lady beetles, staphylinid beetles, gryllid, green meadow grasshopper, and mirid bug eat eggs of yellow stem borer1. Santhali tribe of Bengal commonly uses red ant nests to control other insect attacks2.
References
1) Anonymous. Stem Borers http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/ Ricedoctor/Fact _Sheets/Pests/Stem_Borers.htm Downloaded on 24.02.2009
2) Kamat K. L. Red Ants and the Santali Boy. http://www.kamat.com /kalranga /prani /ants/santali_boy.htm Downloaded on 24.02.2009 |
|
|
| Call Number |
19406 |
