Tetiaroa Yellow Crazy Ant Sampling: Sugar and PB Protocol - 1/24/2023
Kalani Alcala, Juliet Capriola
Abstract
Walked along a series of transects with ant sugar water and peanut butter vials. The experiment aimed to discover the extent of the invasive yellow crazy Ant , Anoplolepis gracilipes, on Tetiaroa Atoll. In addition, the experiment aimed to test if ants preferred the sugar water bait or the peanut butter bait.
Before start
Put on bug spray you're gonna need it.
Steps
Preparation
Divide the atoll into a series of transects labeled A-Z. Then on each transect create points 1-X. The points should create a grid on the island.
Prepare 25 sugar plastic vials by soaking a napkin in sugar water and placing at the bottom of the vial
Prepare 12 PB plastic vials by placing 1 TBS of peanut butter at the bottom of each vial, making sure not to get any PB on the sides of the vial.
Deployment
Navigate to the site using Gaia GPS
At each site, place one sugar vial. Place a peanut butter vial down directly next to the sugar water vial only if ants are spotted in the nearby surrounding area.
Fill out Epicollect form detailing: deployed/retrieved, site number, and time collected (automatic)
Repeat steps 3-5 at each site. Go in reverse order in the following section for retrieval.
Retrieval
After 90 minutes, return to placed vials. Retrieve any flags in the area marking transect.
Pick up and quickly cap vials, not letting any ants escape in the process.
Fill out form on EpiCollect. Count crazy ants on each vial.
If there are too many ants, head back to lab. Freeze vials and count ants afterward.
Clean up
Clean out test tubes and throw away samples.
