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High invasive ant activity drives predation of a native butterfly larva |
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| Authors: | Lori Lach Trevor M. Volp Todd A. Greenwood Annaleice Rose |
| Affiliation: | 1. Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change, Centre for Tropical Environmental Sustainability Science, College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia;2. School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia |
| Abstract: | Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) threaten invertebrates on many tropical islands, but little work has been done in continental ecosystems. We found 4.4–16.0 times more cruiser butterfly caterpillars were attacked in Australian rain forest sites with A. gracilipes than in native ant sites, and extrafloral nectar had little influence. |
| Keywords: | Anoplolepis gracilipes Australia cruiser butterfly extrafloral nectar Nymphalidae rain forest Wet Tropics World Heritage Area yellow crazy ant |