Ants foraging activity: the type of sugar concentration preference R. J. Matlhabe, 212560085 School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa ABSTRACT Ants normally select food as a group and select the type of food preference depends on the availability, palatability and accessibility of the food. The selection of food must result in the success of individuals. This study investigated if ants showed preferential forage selection when exposed to different sugar concentrated solutions. Three types of sugar concentrated solutions (5%, 15% and 30%) were placed around an ant hive for 60 minutes. The number of ants found in each sugar concentration was recorded …show more content…
The preference of food by ants has been studied such as Barbani (2003), studied the food preference and activity of Odorous house ants, and O’Brien (2005) studied the Red imported fire ants and their preference in liquid feeding. It has been seen that ants can as act predators, scavengers, herbivores, detrivores and granivores (Holldobler and Wilson, 1990; Holway et al., 2002) and they choose food which varies in abundance, accessibility, palatability and nutritional value (Goud). The digestive system also plays a role in the type of food to be selected because the intake of food. The digestive enzymes of ants are able to breakdown solid foods and hence most ants prefer liquid sugary food because it easy to digest than the other times of food (Barbani, 2003; Ricks and Vison, 2004). In this will determine ant’s foraging preference when exposed to different sugar concentrated solutions. The objective is to determine foraging preference of ants by observing and measuring their selection between three different sugar concentrated solutions (5%, 15%, and 30%). The hypothesis is that ants prefer high sugar concentrated solutions than low sugar concentrated solutions. The prediction is that most ants will prefer high concentrated solution (30%) than the less concentrated solution …show more content…
There is a significant difference (p-0.009) on the type of the sugar concentrated solution preferred (Table 1). The interactions between treatments indicate that there is significant difference between the 5% and the 30% sugar concentrated solutions preference by ants compared to the 15% and 30% sugar concentrated which is insignificant (Table 2). We therefore can accept the hypothesis that ants prefer high concentrated sugar solution than the less concentrated. In most studies it has been shown that ants prefer sugary foods and according to Went et al. (1972) it is because sugar is in abundance, it is easy to store, provides high energy levels and its ease of digestion. In the time interval of 10
Introduction The bean beetle also known as the Callosobruchus maculatus, is an agricultural pest insect from Africa and Asia. That can be found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions. The lifecycle of a bean beetles is quite short an adult been beetle lays their eggs on the external surface of a bean. The larva hatches from the egg burrows from the egg through the seed coat and into the bean endosperm without moving outside the protection of the egg.
In this experiment, Pill bugs were exposed to different environments within a closed space and observed to determine which environment they preferred. The four different environments tested consisted of flowers, dirt, grass, and an empty space. Ten pill bugs were placed within the shoe box and observed for a total of 15 minutes to determine what environment the bugs preferred. The independent variables were the different conditions in each section of the shoe box, while the dependent variable was the behavior the pill bugs displayed. Throughout the experiment, the control variable was the empty section of the shoe box.
Sugary urine has historically been known as a symptom of diabetes. The author writes, “In the past Chinese physicians actually diagnosed and monitored diabetes by looking to see whether ants were attracted to someone’s urine.” Therefore, sugary urine was a key factor for detecting and treating of the disease in the past. Today’s treatment typically consists of medication, exercise, and a balanced diet. Unfortunately, diabetes has had a huge impact on humanity, as it currently affects about 171 million people
Introduction/Purpose : In this experiment crickets are going to be drugged with two amounts of caffeine. Crickets are omnivores and scavengers that feed on organic materials, as well as decaying plant material, fungi, and seedling plants. They are usually medium-sized to large insects, and known to be relatives and/or look alike to a grasshopper. Crickets can live for a year or more, but usually can't survive more than one winter.
The sweet granular substance proved a sensation among its elite customers, and demand skyrocketed. Cultivation and processing of sugar quickly spread throughout the Antilles and the Brazilian littoral as well as to Mexico, Paraguay, and South America’s Pacific
But, after retesting the experiment they realized that was not the case. Only the presence of the mouse seem to stop the elephant in their tracks. The independent variables in this experiment were the methods (such as the elephant dung, the string, the mouse) used as well as the breed of the elephant and mouse. The dependent
Through concise analysis of research papers and other experiments conducted elsewhere, the final conclusion of this lab was supported. All in all, the inquiry experiment allowed the accomplishment of the goal of identifying one of the main reasons why fruit flies eat rotten fruit. Introduction: Drosophila (a model research organism) melanogaster (black abdomen) is the common fruitfly. The lab required the usage of fruit flies as they are a commonly used organism in many experiments. The portion before the inquiry lab utilized the usage of different foods to determine exactly which food the flies would experience more of an attraction towards.
Author’s Purpose Essay In the non-fiction book, Sugar Changed the World by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos the author's main purpose is to inform the reader. Throughout the book, the author’s view stays mainly objective, while informing the reader of the history of making, distributing, and consuming sugar. They use facts and quotes from reliable sources and people to support their information and inform the reader on how much sugar, really did, change the world.
Description of Experiment: Hypothesis Actual Hypothesis: If the majority of the pillbugs are on one side of the choice chamber, regardless of the conditions (wet or dry) of that area, then the rest of the bugs will move to that area. Null Hypothesis: The majority of the pillbugs being on one side of the choice chamber does NOT affect where the rest reside to. Alternative Hypothesis: If the majority of the pillbugs are on one side of the choice chamber, then the minority will control/convince the majority to come over to that side.
“The increased consumption of sugar and increasing demand for it, exceed all...for, such is the influence of sugar, that once touching the nerves of taste no person was ever known to have the power of relinquishing the desire for it.” The need for sugar is not surprising because no one can’t get hooked on it the second after they taste it. Because of this people want more and more sugar to feed their need of sugar. Without this need the sugar trade would not be this huge. According to a Duke university study in England over than span of 70 years in 1700-1770 the imports of sugar not only stayed inconsistent with the rise population but exceeds it, at the same time per capita consumption nearly quadruples.
Joshua Rabideau 11/10/2016 BIOL 380 – Lab: Monday Black-Capped Chickadee Foraging Habits There are numerous organisms and interactions occurring within any ecosystem. Many times, the interactions between organisms and habitats are based on the energy needs of the organisms. In this experiment, a null hypothesis that the Black-capped Chickadee forages on various trees at random. Upon data analysis of the gathered information, it can be determined that the Black-capped chickadee were not choosing foraging sites at random. The results of a chi square test gave a value of 19,890 which is significantly larger than the 16.812 value needed to void the null hypothesis with six degrees of freedom; the probability that this variation was due to chance is less than .01.
Sugar was a food that no person was ever known to have the power of relinquishing the desire for it (Document 3B). It was also a great sweetener for drinks like coffee and tea, but best of all it was used to make chocolate (Document 4). Over time people started wanting and consuming more and more sugar because it became such an obsession (Document 5). This shows us that people wanted sugar and over time people wanted more and more if it because they found other ways to use it. People all over the world wanted sugar and once they had a taste there was no going back.
In this experiment, we are testing whether or not the Isopods' have more of a preference for an environment with syrup or with water. The alternative hypothesis we devised is that if the Isopods are placed in between a syrup and a water chamber, then they will go towards the syrup chamber. This is believed because we believe the Isopods may have an attraction to the sweet scent and taste of the syrup. My group and I observed 10 pillbugs behavior over the span of 5 minutes, recording the number of pill bugs found in each chamber every 30 seconds. We fail to reject the null hypothesis because the chi squared value is 3.6 which is less than 3.84 (critical value at .05).
Sucrase activity increases with increasing sucrose concentration Materials and Methods Effect of pH on Enzyme Activity 1. Dependent Variable amount of product (glucose and fructose) produced 2. Independent Variable pH 3. Controlled Variables temperature, amount of substrate (sucrose) present, sucrase + sucrose incubation time Effect of Temperature on Enzyme Activity 1.
The essay “The Battle of the Ants” by Henry David Thoreau can be analyzed in many different ways. Thoreau uses allegory in this essay to describe the similarities between war in the human and animal world. By using this literary device Thoreau is able to create a moral, spiritual, and political meaning. War is a natural thing that happen in the human and animal world.