Activity of ants on cotton plants sprayed with nuclear polyhedrosis virus and adjuvants against Heliothis armigera (Hubner)

Crude sugar from cane (jaggery/gur) 15 to 20 per cent when added to nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and applied as ultra low volume (ULV) spray against Heliothis armigera (Hubn.) infesting cotton, attracted five species of ants, viz., Camponotus sericeus F., Pseudolasius sp., Solenopsis geminata F., Prenolepis longicornis Latre and Monomorium indicum Forel. All the ant species except C. sericeus preferred to prey upon virus killed cadavers. C. sericeus preferred healthy larvae of H. armigera. P. longicornis preferred the dead and diseased one without any discrimination. In the total population, S. geminata and C. sericeus constituted 45.74 and 34.88 per cent, respectively. The possible role of ants in disseminating the virus is suggested.