URBAN ANTS FROM MARINGÁ, PR, BRAZIL, AND THEIR IMPLICATION

ABSTRACT

The urban mirmecofauna of the city of Maringá, Paraná, was evaluated in this study, through the collection of ants, during a period of five months while working on complaints of the population to the Service of Pest Control of the city Secretary of Health in Maringá-PR. The ants were collected in natural conditions without the help of bait in 165 places in the city, totaling 803 samples. Fifty-four different species of ants were identified belonging to 24 genre and 6 subfamilies. The species that caused problems generating complaints were: Atta sexdens rubropilosa, Atta capiguara, Camponotus sericeiventris, Camponotus atriceps, Camponotus renguerii, Monomorium pharaonis and Tapinoma melanocephalum. We can characterize as urban pests in the city of Maringá the species T. melanocephalum, Paratrechina longicornis, C. atriceps, M. pharaonis, Solenopsis saevíssima, C. renguerii, C. sericeiventris, Atta spp., Pheidole aberrans and Pogonomyrmex spp., taking into account the frequency and the level of constant infestation in the internal and external parts of the households. T. melanocephalum was the species with the greatest incidence in the city of Maringá and the most frequent in quality and in quantity in the interior of households. The most difficult species to control for the population was C. atriceps, T. melanocephalum and P. longicornis.

KEY WORDS
Urban ants; pests; households; mirmecofauna