Edwards J P, Abraham L
ADAS Central Science Laboratory, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Slough, Berkshire.
Med Vet Entomol. 1990 Apr;4(2):205-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.1990.tb00278.x.
The results from simple choice test experiments with laboratory and field colonies of pharaoh's ants have revealed two behavioural traits that influence the way in which foraging worker ants respond to foods. Initially, worker ants from laboratory colonies showed a distinct preference for certain foods (e.g. honey and peanut butter). However, when given only these 'preferred' foods continuously for several weeks, workers showed a marked preference for other foods when offered a choice. This 'satiation' response occurred even though the initial diet was originally highly attractive to foraging workers. In addition, workers show a marked tendency to alternate between carbohydrate foods and protein foods. Thus, workers from colonies fed predominantly on proteins, subsequently showed a marked preference for carbohydrates, and vice versa. The 'satiation' and 'alternation' responses to foods ensure that colonies receive a diet that is both varied and balanced. In addition, these aspects of feeding behaviour have important consequences for the use of food-based baits in control measures against Monomorium pharaonis (L.).
对法老蚁实验室群体和野外群体进行简单选择测试实验的结果，揭示了两种行为特征，它们会影响觅食工蚁对食物的反应方式。最初，来自实验室群体的工蚁对某些食物（如蜂蜜和花生酱）表现出明显的偏好。然而，当连续数周只给它们提供这些“偏好”食物后，在提供选择时，工蚁对其他食物表现出明显的偏好。即使最初的食物原本对觅食工蚁极具吸引力，这种“饱足”反应依然会出现。此外，工蚁表现出明显的在碳水化合物食物和蛋白质食物之间交替的倾向。因此，主要以蛋白质为食的群体中的工蚁，随后会对碳水化合物表现出明显的偏好，反之亦然。对食物的“饱足”和“交替”反应确保蚁群获得多样化且均衡的饮食。此外，这些取食行为方面对于在防治法老小家蚁（L.）的控制措施中使用基于食物的诱饵具有重要影响。
