Teknik introduksi merupakan pendekatan yang digunakan dalam pemanfaatan agens hayati, misalnya semut predator O. Smaragdina. Pemanfaatan agens hayati tersebut dilakukan dengan cara memindahkan sarang semut dari satu pohon ke pohon lainnya. Namun, pengaruh faktor sumber atau asal koloni terhadap perilaku dan tingkat predasi merupakan informasi penting untuk diketahui. Penelitian ini bertujuan: (1) Mengukur dan menilai perbedaan perilaku semut predator terhadap hama rayap, dan (2) Membandingkan kemampuan predasi antar koloni semut predator berdasarkan tingkat kematian pada hama rayap. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok (RAK) dan satu faktor perlakuan yakni asal koloni semut O. smaragdina. Perlakuan terdiri dari asal koloni tanaman akasia, mangga, ketapang dan nangka. Perlakuan diulang sebanyak 6 kali ulangan atau terdapat 24 unit percobaan di laboratorium dan semi lapang. Analisis data menggunakan ANOVA dan DMRT untuk data yang berdistribusi normal yakni aktivitas pencarian pakan. Sedangkan, data yang tidak berdistribusi normal menggunakan analisis varians non-parametrik uji Kruskal-Wallis dan Mann Whitney. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan: (1) Perilaku semut predator O. smaragdina cenderung memiliki perbedaan berdasarkan asal koloni terhadap aktivitas pencarian, kontak, dan eksplorasi hama rayap. Selain itu, faktor kondisi lingkungan dan keberadaan mangsa lainnya juga mempengaruhi perilaku tersebut; (2) Semut predator O. smaragdina memiliki kemampuan dalam memangsa hama rayap yakni sebesar 26.7% hingga 61.7% pada fase pembibitan tanaman akasia. Selain itu, asal koloni semut predator tidak berpengaruh terhadap tingkat kematian mangsa rayap atau tidak terdapat perbedaan kemampuan predasi antar koloni.
Kata Kunci: Akasia, Koloni, Oecophylla smaragdina, Predasi

The introduction technique is an approach used in the utilization of biological agents, for example the predatory ant O. Smaragdina. The utilization of this biological agent is carried out by moving the ant nests from one tree to another. However, the influence of source or colony origin factors on behavior and predation rates is important information to know. This study aims: (1) Measuring and assessing differences in the behavior of predatory ants against termite pests, and (2) Comparing the predation ability of predatory ant colonies based on the mortality rate of termite pests. The study used a randomized block design (RBD) and one treatment factor, namely the origin of the ant colony of O. smaragdina. The treatments consisted of colonies of acacia, mango, ketapang and jackfruit. The treatment was repeated 6 times or there were 24 experimental units in the laboratory and semi-field. Data analysis used ANOVA and DMRT for data that were normally distributed, namely foraging activities. Meanwhile, the data that were not normally distributed used non-parametric analysis of variance by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney tests. The results showed: (1) The behavior of predatory ants O. smaragdina tended to have differences based on the origin of the colony on search, contact and exploration activities of termite pests. In addition, environmental conditions and the presence of other prey also influence this behavior; (2) O. smaragdina predatory ants have the ability to prey on termite pests, namely 26.7% to 61.7% in the acacia plant nursery phase. In addition, the origin of predatory ant colonies does not affect the mortality rate of termite prey or there is no difference in predation ability between colonies. Keywords: Acacia, Colony, Oecophylla smaragdina, Predation