Bait use of arboreal ants in a lowland tropical rainforest, Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Malaysia, 2015-2018

Twelve 50 m x 50 m experimental plots were located in lowland, tropical rainforest in Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA) this included: four control plots, four ant suppression plots and four termite suppression plots. In ant suppression plots ground-dwelling ants were suppressed and in termite suppression plots ground-dwelling termites were suppressed. All plots were established in October 2014 and suppression of ants and termites was maintained until October 2017. Data on the bait use of arboreal ants in this investigation were only collected from control plots.

Ants were collected from February to May 2016 across 12 trees using baited traps. On each tree, sampling stations were set vertically every 5 m from the ground to as high up into the canopy as possible. The number of traps set on each tree ranged from 28 to 44 (mean ± SD = 35 ± 6); across all trees 416 baited traps were set (208 carbohydrate and 208 protein). The stratum (canopy or trunk) of each trap location was recorded, traps placed above the first branch were identified as canopy and traps below the first branch as trunk. Each sampling station comprised two pairs of baited traps (four traps in total); each pair contained one trap baited with carbohydrate (honey and oats) and the second with protein (tuna). Pairs of traps were hung over nails on opposite sides of the trunk at each height interval. Traps within each pair were separated by ca. 20 cm and left open for 24 hours. On collection, specimens within each trap were kept separate and transferred to 70 percent ethanol. All ant specimens were identified to genus and to morphospecies level. Voucher specimens are lodged in a reference collection at the University of Liverpool and Universiti Malaysia Sabah.