الفهرس 
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Abstract
A- Toxicity of plant extracts:
Crude extracts of the tubers of Allium sativum L., the seeds of Anethum graveolens L., Coriandrum sativum L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L and Nigella sativa L., flowers of Calndula officinalis L., and leaves of Mentha viridis L., Rosamarinus officinalis L and Eucalyptus citriodora Hook were tested against workers of each of P. jordanica, P. laticeps, P. sinaitica, C. inermis and P. longicornis was examined. The results were:
1- The crude methanolic extract of A. sativum was the most effective against workers of the three species of Pheidole as indicated by the highest percentage mortality of ant workers, followed by extracts of T. foenum-graecum, while crude extract of E. citriodora, showed the least activity. The results indicate the potential use of some of these plant extracts as a source of safe alternatives to insecticides.
2- The toxicity against workers of the acrobat ant Crematogaster inermis Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) indicated that the methanolic extract of M. viridis was the most toxic followed by the extract of E. citriodora, whereas the extract of C. sativum exhibited the lowest toxicity. The extract of M. viridis was the most effective among those tested, producing the lowest LC50 (30%) and LC90 (49%) values, whereas that of C. sativum shwed the lowest activity (LC50 of 284% and LC90 of 690%). Mentha viridis and E. citriodora extracts were associated with the shortest survival period (4 days). On the other hand, the extract of C. sativum was associated with the longest survival period (14 days), compared to 25 days for the controls.
3- The ingestion toxicity of the plant extracts against workers of Paratrechina longicornis showed that E. citriodora was the most potent one towards workers followed with A. graveolens, then M. viridis, N. sativa, T. foenum-graecum, R. officinalis, C. officinalis, A. sativum, and C. sativum, respectively. Eucalyptus citriodora was the most potent plant, recording the lowest LC50 and LC90 which were 33.1% and 74.1%, respectively, at the second day. On the other hand, C. sativum showed the least toxicity as the dose of LC50 and LC90 recorded 371.5% and 3801.9%, respectively, at the third day. The longest average survival period (S50) occurred with A. sativum and C. sativum recording 10 days for each, whereas the shortest one recorded 3 days with E. citriodora compared to 22 days for control.
Toxicity of Chemical compounds
1-Boric acid
Myrmicine ants,
Pheidole species
Effect of boric acid on workers of the three pheidole species was nearly the same at each of the five concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1). After the three weeks, mortality recorded 6.33 ± 0.66 %, 6.63 ± 0.36% and 6.33 ± 0.67% at concentration 0.2 and 96.66 ± 1.86, 96.63±6.6 and 93.33 ± 0.33 at concentration 1 for P.jordanica, P. laticeps and P. sinaitica, respectively, comparing to 6.33 ± 0.66 for control.
The LC50 was 1.5 %, 0.8 % and 0.3 %, for P. jordanica, 1.3%, 0.7 % and 0.6% for P. laticeps and 1.1 %, 0.7 % and 0.5 % for P. sinaitica, after the first, second and third week post treatment, respectively. The LC90 values recorded 5.5%, 1.8% and 1.0% for P. jordanica, 4.4% 1.3% and 1.2% for P. laticeps and 3.5%, 1.6% and 1.0 for P. sinatica, respectively.
The average survival period of workers of was 8, 8 and 7 days for P. jordanica, P. laticeps and P. sinaitica, respectively.
Crematogaster inermis
At the lower concentration of 0.2, mortality recorded zero and 13.3± 1.6 after 7 and 21 days of exposure, respectively, comparing to zero for control. At the highest concentration (1%), mortality recorded 26.6± 3.3 and 100% after 7 and 21 days of exposure, respectively, comparing to 3.3± 0.66 for control.
The LC50 was 1.3%, 0.6% and 0.35%, whereas the LC90 recorded 2.6 %, 1.2% and 0.6% after the first, second and the third week post treatment, respectively.
The average survival period (S50) at 1% was 10 days.
Formicine ant
Paratrechina longicornis
Boric acid had a weak effect on Paratrechina longicornis workers as mortality recorded 6.6± 0.33 and 23.3± 3.3 after 7 and 21 days of exposure at the concentration 1 % comparing to zero and 6.33±0.66 for control, respectively.
The LC50 was 4.6%, 2.7% and 2.2%, whereas the LC90 recorded 13.8%, 6.2% and 4.1% after the first, second and the third week post treatment, respectively.
The average survival period of P. longicornis workers exposed to boric acid at 1% was 23 days.
2-Methoprene
Myrmicine ants
Pheidole species
At the lowest concentration (0.25) mortality recorded 6.33 ± 0.66 % , 13.66 ± 3.3% , and 23.66 ± 3.3% for P. jordanica, 6.66 ± 0.33%, 13.33 ± 3.6% and 26.66 ± 3.3 % for P.laticeps, and 3.33 ± 0.33 %, 13.33 ± 0.88% and 23.33 ± 0.66% for P. sinaitica after 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure, respectively. At the highest concentration (1%) mortality recorded 43.66 ± 3.3 %, 53.33 ± 6.6 % and 66.66 ± 1.3 % for P. jordanica, 46.66 ±3.3%, 53.63 ± 3.3 % and 66.63 ± 3.3 % for P. laticeps and 36.66 ± 1.2 %, 56.66± 1.3% and 60.00 ± 5.7 % for P. sinaitica, after 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure comparing to zero, 3.33 ± 0.33 % and 6.33 ± 0.66 % for control ,respectively.
The LC50 of workers was 1.7 %, 1.0 % and 0.3 %, for P. jordanica, 1.4%, 0.9 % and 0.2% for P. laticeps and 2.0 %, 1.0 % and 0.5 % for P. sinatica, after the first, second and third week post treatment, respectively. The LC90 values recorded 15.8%, 12.0% and 8.9% for P. jordanica, 11.2%, 11.0% and 8.3% for P. laticeps and 14.5%, 11.0% and 8.1 for P. sinaitica, respectively.
The average survival period of workers of was 9, 10 and 11 days for P. jordanica, P. laticeps and P. sinatica, respectively, Comparing to 26 days for control.
Crematogaster inermis ant
All the three tested Methoprene concentrations had a weak effect as mortality recorded zero %, 6.6 ± 0.3 % and 16.6 ± 1.3 % at the lowest concentration (0.25 %) and recorded 16.6 ± 1.3, 36.6 ± 2.3 % and 46.3 ± 0.88 % at the highest concentration (1%) after 7, 14, and21 days of exposure ,respectively, comparing to 3.3 ± 0.66 for control.
The LC50 was zero %, zero% and 1.1%0 whereas the LC90 recorded zero %, zero % and 7.1% after the first, second and the third week post treatment, respectively.
The average survival period (S50) at 1% was 22 days comparing to 26 days for control.
Paratrechina longicornis ant
Effect of the three concentrations of Methoprene on P. longicornis workers after 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure had the lowest effect.
The LC50 zero%, zero% and 27.5%, whereas the LC90 recorded zero%, zero% and 311.3% after the first, second and the third week post treatment, respectively.
The average survival period (S50) at 1% was 24 days comparing to 26 days for control.
3-Pyriproxyfen
Myrmicine ant
Pheidole species
Generally pyriproxyfen had a weak effect on the three species of Pheidole ants at the three concentrations and was nearly the same. Mortality recorded zero at concentration 0.1% after one weak of exposure, whereas mortality recorded 6.7 ± 0.33, 13.33± 0.88 and10.00 ± 0.58 after the third weak of exposure for P. jordanica, P.laticeps and P. sinatica, respectively. At the highest concentration (1%) mortality recorded 23.66 ± 3.3, 26.6 ± 0.67 and 26.33 ± 067 after the third weak for P. jordanica, P.laticeps and P.sinaitica, respectively.
The LC50 was zero %, 6.9% and 3.5 %, for P. jordanica, zero %,4.9 % and 3 % for P. laticeps and zero %, 5.4 % and 3.4 % for P. sinaitica, after the first, second and third week post treatment, respectively. The LC90 values recorded zero %, 74.1% and 30.9% for P. jordanica, zero %,58.9 %, and 55% for P. laticeps and zero %, 66.1% and 53.7 % for P. sinaitica, respectively.
The average survival period of workers at 1% was 23, 23 and 24 days for P. jordanica, P. laticeps and P. sinaitica, respectively, Comparing to 26days for control.
Crematogaster inermis ant.
Mortality recorded 10.0± 0.58 and 36.6 ± 0.33 at the lowest (0.1%) and the highest (1.0 %) concentratins.
The LC50 values was zero %, zero % and 2.3 % , whereas the LC90 recorded zero %, zero % and 36.3% after the first, second and third week of treatment, respectively.
The average survival period of workers at1% was 24 days comparing to 26 days for control.
Paratrechina longicornis ant.
Paratrechina longicornis was unsusceptible for pyriproxyfen compound as mortality recorded the least value, recording 16.6 ± 1.2 % at the highest concentration after the third week of exposure.
The LC50 was zero%, zero% and zero%, also the same was true for the LC90 as it recorded zero%, zero% and zero % after the first, second and the third week post treatment, respectively.
The average survival period (S50) at 1% was 24 days comparing to 26 days for control.