红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁的觅食强度

采用诱饵诱集法,对华南地区3种典型的红火蚁入侵和未入侵生境中蚂蚁对4种诱饵（蜂蜜、花生油、火腿肠和黄粉虫幼虫）的搜寻时间、召集时间及召集数量进行研究,并分析了红火蚁入侵对蚂蚁觅食强度的影响.结果表明：草坪红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对黄粉虫幼虫和花生油的搜寻时间极显著或显著短于对照区（红火蚁非入侵区）;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间与对照区的差异均不显著,在花生油上的召集时间显著长于对照区;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,蚂蚁对4种诱饵的搜寻时间及召集时间与对照区均无显著差异.诱饵设置30 min时,草坪红火蚁入侵区,花生油、黄粉虫幼虫、火腿肠上的红火蚁工蚁数量均显著多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量;荒草地红火蚁入侵区,花生油上的红火蚁工蚁数量明显多于本地蚂蚁工蚁数量,其余诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异不显著;荔枝园红火蚁入侵区,4种诱饵上红火蚁工蚁数量与本地蚂蚁工蚁数量的差异均不显著.     

饥饿对扶桑绵粉蚧存活率和产卵量的影响

【背景】扶桑绵粉蚧是近年来入侵我国的重要害虫,食物是影响其生长发育及种群发展的重要因素。【方法】在室内条件下研究了饥饿对扶桑绵粉蚧不同龄期若虫和初羽化雌成虫存活率和雌成虫产卵量的影响。【结果】扶桑绵粉蚧不同虫态在饥饿条件下存活的时间存在显著差异,表现为雌成虫〉2龄若虫=3龄若虫〉1龄若虫。扶桑绵粉蚧各龄若虫和雌成虫随着饥饿时间的延长,存活率逐渐下降。其中,雌成虫存活率下降速度较慢,完全饥饿8d后存活率仍有50％左右;2、3龄若虫50％个体死亡需要饥饿的时间约为6d,1龄若虫约需5．5d。饥饿会显著降低1龄若虫存活率,但对2、3龄若虫没有显著影响。扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫饥饿4d对其产卵前期、平均每头雌虫一生的产卵量没有显著影响,但寿命显著低于对照。【结论与意义】扶桑绵粉蚧耐饥力较强,这有助于它在野外建立种群。该结果为进一步评价扶桑绵粉蚧的入侵潜能提供了依据。     

寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧体型及体内能源物质含量的影响

【目的】研究寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量的影响,为扶桑绵粉蚧的寄主适应性和风险分析提供科学参考。【方法】在室内用8种寄主植物连续饲养扶桑绵粉蚧5代后,测量7日龄雌成虫体长、体宽和体重,并测定体内能源物质(脂肪、可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖)含量,分析上述指标在不同寄主间的差异。【结果】取食不同寄主后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量存在显著差异。取食马铃薯后,雌成虫体长达4.80 mm,体宽为3.07 mm,单头体重为7.11 mg,显著高于取食其他寄主的雌成虫。取食棉花(Bt棉和常规棉)后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体内可溶性蛋白质含量最高(58.77和57.70 mg·g~(-1));取食常规棉后,可溶性糖含量最高(75.02 mg·g~(-1));取食马铃薯后,脂肪含量最高(349.00 mg·g~(-1))。【结论】寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量有显著影响。取食马铃薯后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型较大,体内能源物质含量较高,因此应加强马铃薯上扶桑绵粉蚧的种群监测。     

常用药剂对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫的毒力测定及对天敌的影响

为筛选防治扶桑绵粉蚧的理想药剂及减少药剂对天敌的影响,本文采用浸渍法测定了5种药剂对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫的药效试验及对班氏跳小蜂的影响,结果表明,药剂对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫的致死作用与浓度成正比,即浓度越高杀虫效果越好。5种药剂中,吡虫啉与高效氯氰菊酯防治扶桑绵粉蚧速效、效果好,能较好地控制扶桑绵粉蚧的危害;而印楝素和阿维菌素药效持续性明显好于化学药剂。班氏跳小蜂对在此基础上筛选出的10%吡虫啉与0.3%印楝素具有更高的敏感性,24 h对吡虫啉的LC_(50)为17.80mg/L;对印楝素的LC_(50)为17.80mg/L。吡虫啉、印楝素均作为防治扶桑绵粉蚧的备选药剂,并推荐印楝素可作为扶桑绵粉蚧绿色防治的首选药剂。     

班氏跳小蜂对扶桑绵粉蚧的寄生功能反应

为评估班氏跳小蜂Aenasius bambawalei Hayat对其寄主扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley的控制作用, 在实验室条件下（温度25±1℃, 相对湿度70%±5%, 光周期14L∶10D）, 研究了班氏跳小蜂对扶桑绵粉蚧3龄若虫、 雌成虫的寄生功能反应及其自身密度效应。结果表明: 寄生功能反应均符合Holling Ⅱ型方程, 且受寄主密度和寄生物密度的影响。当扶桑绵粉蚧 3龄若虫和雌成虫的密度分别大于15头/容器和10头/容器时, 班氏跳小蜂的寄生量增加幅度开始减小; 以瞬间攻击率/处理时间（α/Th)为评价指标, 班氏跳小蜂雌蜂寄生扶桑绵粉蚧3龄若虫时, α/Th为21.1307, 且大于雌蜂寄生雌成虫的情况（α/Th为6.2506）; 班氏跳小蜂寄生功能反应有较强的种内干扰作用, 随着自身密度的增加, 寄生效能逐渐降低; 通过方程E=QP^-m能很好地模拟班氏跳小蜂的寻找效应（E）与其自身密度（P）之间的关系, 对于3龄若虫和雌成虫的模拟结果分别为E=0.2931P^-0.6240和E=0.0944P^-0.4840。本研究为利用班氏跳小蜂开展扶桑绵粉蚧生物防治提供了基础数据和方法。     

昆明市呈贡区红火蚁工蚁消长动态及防控适期

红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是我国重要的入侵害虫,2003年10月我国台湾发现其发生,2004年9月广东吴川也发现其危害,其后16年发生范围迅速扩大,已经入侵15个省区并具明显扩散趋势,给入侵区生产、生活造成严重的负面影响.2013年10月云南省首次在元谋县发现红火蚁入侵,其后相继在昆明、玉溪、丽江、临沧、文山等地发现其危害.为明确新入侵区红火蚁的发生规律,为其防治提供科学依据,本文采用诱饵诱集法系统调查了云南省昆明市呈贡区红火蚁工蚁年发生动态,并分析了工蚁觅食强度与温度、降雨的关系.结果表明,该地区工蚁动态表现为双峰型,即年内出现两个明显盛期,分别在7-8月和10-11月,其具体动态为1-5月觅食工蚁数量少,数量增长缓慢,6-7月逐渐增加,8月觅食工蚁数量达到最大,平均每个诱集瓶可以诱集294头,而后减少;10-11月又进入一个盛期,12月又开始减少.全年中2月份红火蚁最少,平均诱集工蚁数量为15头/瓶.通过对温度、降雨量与捕获到工蚁的数量进行相关性分析,发现温度、降雨量均与捕获工蚁数量存在显著相关性.以气温25℃或者地面温度21℃作为标准提出,4月下旬-8月下旬为昆明地区应用饵剂防控红火蚁最适温度时间范围.     

红火蚁入侵对棉花粉蚧近距离扩散的促进作用

[背景]红火蚁与棉花粉蚧入侵到同一地区,因侵入生境重叠而相遇,进而产生互惠关系。这种互惠关系对红火蚁、棉花粉蚧的生存、扩散传播、入侵的意义和作用规律、机制等是需要解释的生态学问题。[方法]采用田问试验生态学的方法,通过迁移红火蚁蚁巢、向扶桑上接粉蚧等观察研究了红火蚁入侵对棉花粉蚧近距离扩散的影响。[结果]随着离蚁巢距离的增大,扶桑上工蚁数量逐渐减少,距离为1．0、2．0m时数量较多;发生该蚁区域距蚁巢2．0、3．0m扶桑感染粉蚧比率（75％、45％）显著高于无红火蚁区（25％、10％）,其感染比率与工蚁数量呈显著正相关,符合方程Y=0．0042X＋0．1992。[结论与意义]红火蚁入侵促进了棉花粉蚧的近距离扩散,扩散范围在2—3m。研究结果可为深入了解红火蚁与棉花粉蚧协同入侵规律等提供支持。     

华南地区典型生境中红火蚁觅食行为及工蚁召集规律

观察研究了华南地区几种典型生境中红火蚁对不同类型食物的觅食行为和工蚁召集动态规律。研究结果表明红火蚁觅食行为存在搜寻、召集及搬运等主要过程。不同生境中红火蚁对食物的搜寻时间存在一定差异,荔枝园中搜寻时间明显长于其它生境;荔枝园、荒地、路边生境中红火蚁对蜂蜜的搜寻时间明显长于其它几种食物;同一生境中红火蚁对不同重量的同种食物搜寻时间无明显变化。发现食物后召集的工蚁数量随着时间延长呈现不断增加的趋势,对于较大的食物一般30min左右召集的工蚁数量达到最大,之后趋于稳定并逐渐减少,而对于可以直接搬动的食物发现后15min左右群体召集数量达到最大并很快将其搬走。召集工蚁数量与发现后时间的关系符合二次非线性方程,建立了火腿肠、花生油和蜂蜜等食物上红火蚁工蚁召集数量与发现时间的关系模型,分别为Na=4183.91e^-0.0327T-4231.48e^-0.0346T,Na=3253.78e^-0.0233T-3314.59e^-0.0271T,Na=117.97e^-0.0131T-163.93e^-0.0808T。对于不同食物红火蚁发现后召集的最大工蚁数量间有明显差异,其中花生油上最大,平均为176．3头,火腿肠上次之,为90．4头,蜂蜜上最少,为68．0头。对于不同重量的同种食物,工蚁的召集动态规律较为一致,发现食物后25-30min左右工蚁的召集数量均达到最大值,之后缓慢减少,发现食物后时间长度和食物上工蚁数量也符合房室模型函数Na=c1×exp（-c2T）-c3×exp（-c4T）。同种食物不同重量之间同一时间召集的工蚁数量存在较大差异,呈随食物重量增大而增大趋势。不同生境中对相同质量同种食物工蚁召集数量动态总体变化规律相近,但在发现食物后工蚁数量增长的速度和最大召集工蚁的数量存在明显差异,以路边工蚁数量增长最快、工蚁总数最多,苗圃次之,荔枝园、荒地中工蚁增长速度均较低。红火蚁对不同食物种类切割、搬运耗时存在很大差异,搬运完0．5g的火腿肠需要26．23h,而黄粉虫幼虫（重量约为0．1g）仅为15．6min。不同生境中红火蚁对相同重量同一种食物的搬运耗时也不同,荔枝园要长于其它生境。     

红火蚁与扶桑绵粉蚧互惠关系对松粉蚧抑虱跳小蜂和美棘蓟马的影响

蚂蚁与蜜源昆虫互作是物种间重要的关系之一,发挥着重要的生态功能。红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren是重要的入侵害虫,对生物多样性的影响已被熟知,但它与蜜源昆虫互作的生态学效应却不被充分理解。本研究评价了红火蚁与扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley这两种入侵害虫之间的互作对寄生性天敌和粉蚧竞争性昆虫的影响。研究发现红火蚁的照看显著减少了寄主植物上粉蚧重要寄生蜂松粉蚧抑虱跳小蜂Aenasius bambawalei Hayat的种群数量,提高了寄主上粉蚧的存活率,有利于寄主上粉蚧种群的扩增和繁殖。同时红火蚁的存在也显著降低扶桑寄主上粉蚧竞争性昆虫美棘蓟马Echinothrips americanus Morgan成虫和幼虫的数量,抑制了美棘蓟马种群的竞争力,使得粉蚧可以占有更多的寄主植物,为粉蚧种群的繁殖提供了更好的条件。可见,红火蚁与扶桑绵粉蚧的互惠关系的生态效应可能是通过它们与多物种互作综合形成的结果。     

诱饵诱集时间与红火蚁工蚁诱集量的关系研究

为了明确诱饵诱集时间与红火蚁工蚁诱集量之间的关系,确定最佳的诱饵放置时间,本研究采用火腿肠诱饵诱集法,观察不同季节、不同时间段红火蚁诱集的个体数量,利用房室模型分析诱饵诱集时间与红火蚁工蚁诱集量之间的关系。结果表明,随着诱饵放置时间的增加,红火蚁工蚁的诱集数量会出现一个高峰,春季诱集高峰出现在诱饵放置后38-44 min,秋季出现在诱饵放置后24-29 min,并建立了不同季节、不同时间段红火蚁诱集量与时间的关系模型,分别为Y=12764.8807×e(-0.029102 X)"12820.4625×e(-0.030064 X)(春季上午)、Y=16166.6800×e(-0.023994 X)"16217.0808×e(-0.024866 X)(春季下午)、Y=12211.9095×e(-0.040576 X)"12275.2496×e(-0.041620 X)(秋季上午)、Y=12306.4111×e(-0.049724 X)"12383.6907×e(-0.051217 X)(秋季下午)。因此,在利用火腿肠诱饵监测红火蚁时,春季诱饵放置的最适时间约为40 min,秋季的最适时间约为30 min。     

Does Mutualism Drive the Invasion of Two Alien Species? The Case of Solenopsis invicta and Phenacoccus solenopsis

Although mutualism between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans has been extensively recognized in ecosystem biology, however few attempts to test the hypothesis that mutualism between two alien species leads to the facilitation of the invasion process. To address this problem, we focus on the conditional mutualism between S. invicta and P. solenopsis by field investigations and indoor experiments. In the laboratory, ant colony growth increased significantly when ants had access to P. solenopsis and animal-based food. Honeydew produced by P. solenopsis also improved the survival of ant workers. In the field, colony density of P. solenopsis was significantly greater on plots with ants than on plots without ants. The number of mealybug mummies on plants without fire ants was almost three times that of plants with fire ants, indicating a strong effect of fire ants on mealybug survival. In addition, the presence of S. invicta successfully contributed to the spread of P. solenopsis. The quantity of honeydew consumption by S. invicta was significantly greater than that of a presumptive native ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum. When compared with the case without ant tending, mealybugs tended by ants matured earlier and their lifespan and reproduction increased. T. melanocephalum workers arrived at honeydew more quickly than S. invicta workers, while the number of foraging S. invicta workers on plants steadily increased, eventually exceeding that number of T. melanocephalum foragers. Overall, these results suggest that the conditional mutualism between S. invicta and P. solenopsis facilitates population growth and fitness of both species. S. invicta tends to acquire much more honeydew and drive away native ants, promoting their predominance. These results suggest that the higher foraging tempo of S. invicta may provide more effective protection of P. solenopsis than native ants. Thus mutualism between these two alien species may facilitate the invasion success of both species.     

Behavioral and Electroantennogram Responses of Phorid fly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudacteon tricuspis</Emphasis> (Diptera: Phoridae) to Red Imported Fire Ant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solenopsis invicta</Emphasis> Odor and Trail Pheromone

The phorid fly, Pseudacteon tricuspis is an introduced parasitoid of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta in the United States. Previous studies show that phorid flies are attracted to host ant workers at disturbed colonies, to colonies exhibiting aggressive interspecific interactions, and to fire ant mating flights. In a series of behavioral and electroantennogram (EAG) experiments, we confirm the possible use of fire ant odor as cues for host location by P. tricuspis. We tested the response of P. tricuspis of different sex and mating status to several host-related odor stimuli including live fire ant workers, extracts of worker whole body, head, thorax, and abdomen, and (E,E)-α-farnesene, a trail pheromone component of Solenopsis fire ants. Results from Y-tube olfactometer bioassays demonstrated the attraction of mated female P. tricuspis to live S. invicta workers. In addition, extracts of S. invicta worker whole body and thorax elicited strong olfactometer response in female flies (mated and unmated) and mated males, but not in unmated males. Pseudacteon tricuspis did not show significant attraction to extracts of S. invicta worker head and abdomen, or to (E,E)-α-farnesene, irrespective of sex and mating status. In EAG experiments, female and male P. tricuspis showed significant EAG response to extracts of worker whole body, head, and abdomen, and to a less extent, thorax extract, but not to (E,E)-α-farnesene. Females showed slightly greater EAG response than males, but EAG response was not affected by mating status. These results suggest that fire ant thorax is likely the source of kairomones used as host location cues by P. tricuspis, and support the hypothesis that fire ant worker trail pheromones are not likely used by P. tricuspis for host location.     

Forestry alters foraging efficiency and crop contents of aphid-tending red wood ants, Formica aquilonia

Forest management alters species behaviours, distributions and interactions. To evaluate forestry effects on ant foraging performance, we compared the quality and quantity of honeydew harvested by ants among clear-cuts, middle-aged and mature spruce-dominated stands in boreal forests in Sweden. Honeydew quality was examined using honeydew collected by squeezing the gasters of laden Formica aquilonia workers. We used fifteen laden individuals at each study site (four replicates of each stand age) and analysed honeydew chemical composition with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. To compare the quantity of honeydew collected by individual ants, we collected and weighed five ants moving up and five ants moving down each of ten trees at the twelve sites (totally 1200 ants). The concentration of trehalose in honeydew was lower in clear-cuts compared with middle aged and mature stands, and similar trends were shown for sucrose, raffinose and melezitose, indicating poorer honeydew quality on clear cuts. Concentrations of the amino acid serine were higher on clear-cuts. The same trend occurred for glutamine, suggesting that increased N-uptake by the trees after clear cutting is reflected in the honeydew of aphids. Ants in mature stands had larger heads and carried proportionally more honeydew and may therefore be more efficient foragers. Human alternation of habitats through clear-cutting thus affects food quality and worker condition in F. aquilonia. This is the first study to show that honeydew quality is affected by anthropogenic disturbances, likely contributing to the reduction in size and abundance of F. aquilonia workers and mounds after clear cutting.     

红火蚁觅食活动的气象因子相关性及其等级划分

[背景]气象因子是制约害虫种群动态的重要因素,也是昆虫觅食活动的影响因子。【方法】通过系统的田间调查分析了红火蚁在华南地区的觅食活动年变动规律及其与气象因子的关系。[结果]红火蚁在12和1月份时觅食活动最弱,3—6月出现一个觅食高峰,在下半年的9—11月出现另一个高峰,7、8月份受高温的影响觅食活动有一定程度的回落现象。红火蚁工蚁觅食活动的年变化规律又因不同生境类型呈现一定的差异。相关分析结果表明,红火蚁觅食工蚁数与降水量、月平均气温、月最低气温、月最高气温、月最小相对湿度呈正相关,而与月平均气压呈负相关,且各相关性均达显著水平。逐步回归分析表明,月平均气温、日照时数、月最低气温综合影响红火蚁觅食活动的变化。其中,月平均气温可以作为一个非常重要的直接影响红火蚁觅食活动的参数。对荔枝园内全年红火蚁觅食活动进行分级,对方程进行求导得到红火蚁在荔枝园中觅食活动的5个活动级别所对应的月平均温度、日照时数和月平均最低气温实际临界值。[结论与意义]气象因子与红火蚁的觅食活动存在密切的相关性,研究结果可为红火蚁的监测与控制提供依据。     

Effects Of Tending By Solenopsis Invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) On The Sugar Composition And Concentration In The Honeydew Of An Invasive Mealybug,Phenacoccus Solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Mutualistic interactions between ants and hemipterans are mediated by the honeydew produced by the hemipterans. Previous works have demonstrated that the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis produces abundant honeydew and attracts a large number of workers of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Mealybugs exhibit higher fecundity when tended by fire ants. The honeydew produced by P. solenopsis plays an important role in interactions between these two species. However, relatively few studies have focused on whether there is a cost to P. solenopsis mealybugs of being tended by S. invicta through changes in their excretion behavior and the quantity of honeydew produced. Our results indicated that the honeydew of P. solenopsis contains xylose, fructose, sucrose, trehalose, melezitose, and raffinose. The sugar concentration in the mealybug honeydew changed in an ant‐tended treatment. When tended by fire ants, the mealybugs generated honeydew with a significantly decreased xylose concentration. In contrast, the droplets showed a considerable increase in the melezitose concentration. P. solenopsis excreted honeydew more frequently when tended by S. invicta, but the weights of the droplets excreted by the ant‐tended mealybugs were significantly lower. In addition, S. invicta exhibited a significant preference for different sugars. Melezitose was visited more intensively than the other sugars in two choice tests. These results may suggest that, to attract more tending ants, mealybugs adjust their carbohydrate metabolism.     

Comparing electroantennogram and behavioral responses of two Pseudacteon phorid fly species to body extracts of Black, Red and Hybrid imported fire ants, Solenopsis spp

Several phorid fly species were introduced to the southern United States for biological control of the invasive imported fire ants, Solenopsis richteri (Black), Solenopsis invicta (Red), and their Hybrid S. richteri×S. invicta (Hybrid). It has been previously reported that the Jaguariuna biotype of Pseudacteon tricuspis and the Formosan biotype of Pseudacteon curvatus could distinguish among the three fire ant species with greater preference for Hybrid and Red fire ants. We hypothesized that phorid flies might use host derived chemical cues to differentiate ant species. To determine possible differential olfactory sensitivity of phorid fly species to different fire ant species, we compared electroantennogram (EAG) and behavioral responses of both sexes of P. tricuspis and P. curvatus to body extracts of Black, Red and Hybrid fire ants. As worker sizes of Black and Hybrid fire ants used in this study were much larger than that of Red fire ant (the average weight for Black, Red and Hybrid workers was 1.707, 0.863, 1.223mg per ants, respectively), at doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1 worker equivalent, body extracts of Black and Hybrid fire ant elicited significantly greater EAG response in both sexes of P. tricuspis than that of Red fire ant. Similarly, the EAG response in female P. curvatus to body extract of Black fire ant was significantly greater than to body extract of Red fire ant. To eliminate worker size influence on EAG response in phorid flies, we conducted a second EAG study using a dose of 1mg ant equivalent (body extract from 1mg of worker). No difference in EAG responses was recorded to body extract obtained from the same amount of workers among the three fire ant species (we consider viable Hybrid fire ant as a species in this paper), suggesting that worker size differences contributed to difference in EAG response in the first EAG study. In both EAG studies, male P. tricuspis showed significantly greater EAG responses than male P. curvatus to all three fire ant species. In four-way olfactometer bioassay, worker body extracts of all three fire ant species were equally attractive to P. tricuspis and P. curvatus (i.e. both phorid fly species did not show any preferences among the three fire ant species). Together, the results of the EAG and behavior studies suggest that parasitic phorid flies utilize host derived non-polar compounds from worker ants extracted out by hexane for host location but not for host preference, since both fly species are not able to distinguish among the body extracts of the three fire ant species. Future study will investigate possible involvement of polar compounds and/or non-chemical cues in mediating host preference by phorid flies.     

Ant tending impairs performance of Aenasius bambawalei by manipulating the honeydew composition produced by Phenacoccus solenopsis

Honeydew produced by hemipterans is known as a possible kairomonal resource for parasitoids. The application of artificial honeydew effectively improves the performance of natural enemies. Aenasius bambawalei is a particularly dominant and aggressive endoparasitoid of the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis. Our previous study showed that tending by the ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum significantly reduced the parasitism of A. bambawalei. We hypothesize that ghost ant tending influences host location of parasitoids by manipulating the composition of the honeydew produced by mealybugs. In this study, we tested whether the honeydew composition differs between treatments with and without ant attendance and whether changes in the honeydew influence the performance of A. bambawalei. Our results show that the sucrose concentration increased significantly in the ant‐attendance treatment but decreased when ant attendance was switched to an ant‐exclusion treatment; the inverse was true for the glucose concentration. Compared with the plastic honeydew treatment (mealybug with ant attendance), parasitoids spent much more time searching, had longer lifespans and showed higher parasitism on filter papers treated with natural honeydew (mealybug without any pre‐treatment) and those treated with convalescent honeydew (mealybug having experienced ant attendance and then switched to ant exclusion). These results support the hypothesis that ant tending influences the performance of parasitoids by manipulating honeydew composition.