Pheidoleants as potential biological control agents of the boll weevil,Anthonomus grandis(Col., Curculionidae), in Southeast Brazil

This study evaluates the potential of ants as natural biological control agents of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), during the between‐season period, in South‐east Brazil. Active adults ofAnthonomuswere experimentally distributed on the ground of the cotton field. Results show that 20% of the adultAnthonomusare attacked and removed by foraging ants. The native antPheidole oliveiraiwas by far the most efficient predator, accounting for 94 % of the predation onAnthonomus.Recruited workers ofP. oliveiraiwere usually very fast at transporting the weevils to their nests. The potential benefit of suppressing overwintering adultAnthonomusduring the between‐season period is mainly that of reducing the risk of high level infestations during the next cropping cycle.