Prey preference of Myopopone castanea (hymenoptera: formicidae) toward larvae Oryctes rhinoceros Linn (coleoptera: scarabidae)

Myopoponecastanea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ant is a predator for larvae Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabidae) which is a pest on oil palm. These ants are able to prey on all stadia of O. rhinoceros larvae. This study was conducted to determine prey preference of M. castaneatoward its prey O. rhinoceros larvae.. The study was conducted using a Factorial Complete Random Design with two factors (using log and no log) and five replications. Preferences test was done by choice test and no choice test. The results of no choice preference test on the log treatment, M. castaneaprefer preyed on firstinstar larvae of O. rhinoceros ( individual) with a preference index was 0.194 and on no log treatment, M. castanea prefer for both first instar larvae and second instarlarvae ( individual) with a preference index 0.197. The results of the choice preference test using logs, showed that M. castanea prefer the firstinstar larvae of O. rhinoceros ( individual), with a preference index (0.35), and on no log treatment, M. castaneaprefer the second instar larvae( individual) with a preference index 0.189. Both first and secondinstarlarvaeof O. rhinoceros were preferred by predator M. castanea