Imported Fire Ants, Competitor Ants Imported Fire Ants, Competitor Ants and Impact of Ant Bait Products and Impact of Ant Bait Products Bart M. Drees, Nathan Riggs, Brad Vinson, Bart M. Drees, Nathan Riggs, Brad Vinson, Asha Asha Roa Roa and and Pallavi Pallavi Mokkarala Mokkarala SS#1411 & CD#14 SS#1411 & CD#14
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Imported Fire Ants, Competitor Ants and Impact of Ant Bait Products
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Imported Fire Ants, Competitor Ants Imported Fire Ants, Competitor Ants and Impact of Ant Bait Productsand Impact of Ant Bait Products
Bart M. Drees, Nathan Riggs, Brad Vinson, Bart M. Drees, Nathan Riggs, Brad Vinson, AshaAsha RoaRoa and and PallaviPallavi MokkaralaMokkarala
Red Imported Fire AntRed Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaSolenopsis invictaEat seeds, insects, Eat seeds, insects, proteinsproteinsLives indoors and Lives indoors and outdoorsoutdoors
Top photo by L. Gilbert Top photo by L. Gilbert showing showing S. S. geminatageminata on on left and left and S. S. invictainvicta on righton right
__________________________________________________________________Other Ant Species
• 291 ant species occur in Texas (O’Keefe et al. 2000)
• Most species are beneficial by preying on other arthropods and tilling soil
• Some species have restricted habitats or do not compete directly with imported fire ants
• Fire ants reduce native and competitor species
__________________________________________________________________Other Ant Species
Carpenter AntsCarpenter AntsCamponotusCamponotus sppspp..Eats dead insects, other Eats dead insects, other proteinsproteinsNest in wood (indoors & out) Nest in wood (indoors & out)
__________________________________________________________________Other Ant Species
Texas Leaf Cutter AntsTexas Leaf Cutter AntsAttaAtta texanatexanaEat fungus grown on leavesEat fungus grown on leavesNest OutdoorsNest Outdoors
• Active ingredient: metabolic inhibitors like Amdro, insect growth regulators like Logic® or Award®, Distance®, Extinguish®, and nerve toxins like Ascend
• Formulation: attractants like soybean oil or ground caterpillars, and concentration of active ingredient
• Placement: mount treatments versus broadcast application; other treatment patterns
• Timing: seasonal and daily variations in unique foraging habits of ant species
__________________________________________________________________Effects of Ant Baits
• Mortality of worker ants (metabolic inhibitors like Amdro®) and other colony components
• Egg production reduced or eliminated and shift in larval development to winged reproductives (insect growth regulators like Logic® or Award®, Distance®, Extinguish®
__________________________________________________________________Impact of Insecticide Baits
• Bait removed in 1 hour from 250 mg provided to the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), thief ant (S. molesta) and little black ant (M. minimum)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
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80
Untreated Amdro Logic
S. invictaS. molestaM. min.
Untreated = defatted corn grit without toxicant
__________________________________________________________________Impact of Insecticide Baits
• Worker ant mortality within 2 months by the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), thief ant (S. molesta) and little black ant (M. minimum)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Untreated Amdro Logic
S. invictaS. molestaM. min.
Untreated = defatted corn grit without toxicant
__________________________________________________________________Impact of Insecticide Baits
• Egg productionwithin 2 months by the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), thief ant (S. molesta) and little black ant (M. minimum)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Untreated Amdro Logic
S. invictaS. molestaM. min.
Untreated = defatted corn grit without toxicant
__________________________________________________________________Conserving Competitor Ants
• Take care when using broad spectrum insecticides or broadcast bait products where native or exotic competitor (fire ant predator) ants are desired
• Use only individual fire ant mound treatment methods, and avoid treating nests of desirable ants
• In areas with 20 or more imported fire ant mounds per acre (5 mounds per ¼ acre yard), broadcast application of fire ant bait product may actually help restore native ant communities by suppressing or eliminating fire ants
• Imported fire ants favor disturbed habitats(construction, flooding or some types of insecticide use), whereas stable, diverse habitats favor competitor ant species
• Create or leave nesting sites like rocks, landscape timbers, grass clumps
• Know the native ants in your area and their habitat preferences (shade versus open nesting species)
• Tolerance for ants: In some areas any ant is considered pests; some species are truly pestiferous and should be managed
• Cost and labor of applying ant control products:Current fire ant control products require periodic re-application
• Control objectives: Although competitor ants may provide biotic resistance, but have historically been suppressed or eliminated by red imported fire ant invasions
__________________________________________________________________Thank You
• Be part of managing red imported fire ants by practicing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and help educate your friends and neighbors
• Support research, education and regulatory programs