黑頭慌蟻(Tapinoma melanocephalum)是台灣家屋中常見的騷擾性螞蟻，本研究測試固體餌劑、凝膠餌劑及液體餌劑對黑頭慌蟻的防治效果，結果顯示固體餌劑對黑頭慌蟻工蟻的防治效果不佳，凝膠餌劑影響黑頭慌蟻工蟻的取食，只有液體餌劑能有效防治黑頭慌蟻的蟻后、工蟻及幼體。本研究發現黑頭慌蟻對蔗糖及楓糖的取食偏好不具顯著差異，但明顯大於蜂蜜及果糖，顯示以20％蔗糖溶液具有利用作為誘引黑頭慌蟻餌劑的潛力，可作為餌劑設計的基本配方。利用三仙膠調配不同黏稠度的蔗糖溶液，均明顯降低黑頭慌蟻的取食偏好及取食量，因此不宜以黏稠性的餌劑進行黑頭慌蟻的防治。在液體餌劑添加蛋白質會明顯增加黑頭慌蟻的取食偏好性及取食量，其中水解蛋白質的效果優於酵母抽物，水解蛋白質的濃度越高對黑頭慌蟻的誘引效果越強烈，含10％水解蛋白質液體餌劑的取食百分率及取食量均優於含5％及含1％的水解蛋白質液體餌劑。組合20％蔗糖溶液及含5％水解蛋白質液體餌劑對喜好甜食的黑頭慌蟻是很好的防治策略。設計以蔗糖及蛋白質為基質的液體餌劑，利用1％硼酸做為防治黑頭慌蟻的有效成分進行模擬田間試驗，結果證實這樣的防治策略是可行的，在第四週的防治率平均值為99.9％，唯可再加強輪替變動的液體配方，使此防治策略能更有效率的完成黑頭慌蟻的防治。液體餌站的設置，對喜好甜食的黑頭慌蟻是很好的防治策略，利用螞蟻搜尋食物及社會性行為的特性，有足夠的時間讓工蟻取食餌劑後將餌劑分佈到所有的族群個體，除了控制在外取食的工蟻，最終可控制整個族群，達成防治目標。 Ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum, is a major urban pest species in Taiwan. Ghost ant workers are extremely small, combined with the pale color in the posterior part of the ant body, makes Ghost ant workers hard to see. Bait formulated insecticide is a cost-effective and environmentally sound for control of the Ghost ant. Experimental liquids baits and commercial granule and gel baits were compared in laboratory tests for ant reduction. The experimental liquid baits, with 1% boric acid or 1.25% borax solution were more effective at reducing ant numbers than granule and gel baits. Sucrose, fructose, sugar maple,and honey in aqueous solutions were offered at selected concentrations in randomly choice tests. Result indicated that sucrose and sugar maple aqueous solutions were more attractive bait base to tested Ghost ants than fructose and honey aqueous solutions. The viscosity was increases exponentially with increasing Xanthan gum concentration. Viscosity seemed to affect the solution intake rate of the Ghost ant. The Ghost ants were investigated in the laboratory to evaluate sugar and protein food preferences. Ghost ant foragers preferred 20-50% sucrose solutions to 0-10% sucrose solutions. In tests with solutions containing peptone, with 10% peptone was preferred over the other concentrations and kinds of protein. Boric acid in sucrose aqueous baits had different delayed toxicities to worker Ghost ants. The concentrations required to produce a LT50 (time required to produce 50% mortality) within 4.28-2.44 d were 0.5-2.5% boric acid, respectively. Additionally, no repellency was observed in 20% sucrose solutions containing up to 4% boric acid. The strategies for controlling the Ghost Ants with liquid baits would make foraging ants quickly find baits (a combination of an attractive food, toxicant and carrier) which they take to the parent colony where it is shared with nestmates and the queen through trophallaxis. A liquid bait delivery system containing sugar (20% sucrose), protein(2% peptone) and boric acid (1%)was evaluated for efficacy against small laboratory colonies of Ghost ant. The control rate was reached to 99.9% in 4 weeks.
