New Horizons in Insect Science Towards Sustainable Pest Management

57

acid and some hydrocarbons have a combined
effect and their relative concentrations regulate
the intensity and duration of the alarm behaviour.
In O. smaragdina the FA in the body of workers
were related to behaviour (Lofqvist 2003 ). It was
observed that when there was continuous aggres-
sion there will be a sharp elevation in the content
of FA with transfer of it from abdominal end to
mandibles together with the increased produc-
tion of FA. The worker ants on prolonged biting
showed absolute loss of FA and at the same time
the body weight of a major worker with body
weight of 11.8 ± 0.8 was reduced to 60 % of its
original weight, and it was 6.6 ± 0.4 mg (Fig. 2 ).
Even though FA is a secondary metabolite, in the
absence of that defensive chemical the existence
of ant itself appeared as immaterial.

In a comparative study on the amount of vari-

ous bio chemicals in head and thorax of ants, be-

fore and after 30 min of prolonged bite, revealed

that protein was doubled with a sharp decrease in

FAA at both sites. In larvae of Oryctes rhinoceros,

it was observed that exposure of high temperature

of 45 °C for 2 h or after the infection of Bacillus

thuringiens resulted in sharp elevation of haemo-

lymph protein content (Adhira et al. 2011 ).

Total prevention of protein catabolism through

almost complete stoppage of both aminotransfer-

ases can contribute to protein elevation. Sharp

decline in both urea and uric acid in thorax and

abdomen within 30 min of extreme stress (con-

tinuous biting) can also be suggested as an index

of protein catabolism. The normal transaminase

activities of insects are very much higher than

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Fig. 4 Electrophorogram-SDS PAGE

Biochemical Parameters Normal After Prolonged Bite

Head Thorax Head Thorax

Protein* 3.54 ± 0.36 3.25 ± 0.29 9.75 ± 0.19 11.1 ± 0.47

Free amino acids* 4.0 ± 0.85 3.27 ± 0.31 2.72 ± 0.40 2.43 ± 0.50

Glucose* 0.39 ± 0.21 0.57 ± 0.01 0.2 ± 0.008 0.06 ± 0.001

Glycogen 0.24 ± .016 0.19 ± 0.016 0.19 ± 0.08 0.20 ± 0.02

Ureaa 8.0 ± 0.20 4.0 ± 0.15 1.0 ± 0.003 4.0 ± 0.04

Uric acida 7.0 ± 0.31 1.0 ± 0.001 1.0 ± 0.001 1.0 ± 0.003

Lactic acida 2.10 ± 0.02 3.02 ± 0.001 2.01 ± 0.003 3.03 ± 0.012

Acetylcholine* 3.08 ± 0.45 4.0 ± 0.93 5.62 ± 0.47 5.87 ± 0.39

Transaminases* AsAT 21.33 ± 1.83 21.41 ± 1.0 1.94 ± 0.02 0.24 ± 0.08

AlAT 247.63 ± 3.2230.03 ± 5.3 1.62 ± 0.01 0.32 ± 0.005

Values are expressed in mg/100 mg fresh tissue

All values are mean ± SD, n = 4

*Control and Test values are significantly different at p < 0.01

aValues are expressed in μg/100 mg fresh tissue

Table 2 Changes in
Biochemical Profile in dif-
ferent physiological states
of major workers of O.
smaragdina

Importance of Formic Acid in Various Ethological States of Oecophylla smaragdina (Fabricius)