Management of Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus in Stored Chickpea Through Interspecific and Intraspecific Predation by Ants

Predatory efficacy of three ant species i.e. Monomorium minimum, Dorylus labiatus and Camponotus rufipes was checked on all stages of Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus (CCL). D. labiatus was found to be the most efficient larvae and pupae predatory ant species with 84.65% and 98.26% rate of mortality of CCL larvae and pupae respectively. M. minimum was the most efficient egg eating species with 84.85% rate of CCL egg mortality. Considerable CCL adult predation was shown by C. rufipes. Forest lines of most of the species were better CCL predators. It was concluded that ants could be effective management tools against CCL.