扶桑绵粉蚧与长角立毛蚁的互惠关系及其对寄主棉花叶片叶绿素荧光特性的影响

【背景】草食动物对寄主植物的取食或损伤会诱导改变植物的光合作用,从而直接影响植株的健康生长。产蜜昆虫与蚂蚁的互惠关系是物种相互促进的一种重要的生态学现象,能够促进产蜜昆虫的种群数量,然而这种互惠关系及其对寄主植物光合生理的影响还知之甚少。【方法】在室内条件下,运用叶绿素荧光动力学技术研究了外来入侵害虫扶桑绵粉蚧与长角立毛蚁的互惠对寄主棉花叶片叶绿素荧光特性的影响。【结果】随着扶桑绵粉蚧危害时间的延续,寄主植物上蚂蚁和扶桑绵粉蚧的数量均呈现显著上升的趋势,而在危害后期,蚂蚁存在情况下扶桑绵粉蚧的数量要明显低于无蚂蚁处理;在扶桑绵粉蚧取食寄主棉花20 d后,有、无蚂蚁存在的棉花叶片的光合利用率α值较无虫处理分别下降了53.5%和37.0%;存在蚂蚁或扶桑绵粉蚧危害后期对棉花叶片最大相对电子传递效率r ETRmax有显著影响,然而扶桑绵粉蚧单独取食或与蚂蚁互作的情况下未显著影响棉花叶片对强光的耐受能力(Ek)。【结论与意义】研究明确了扶桑绵粉蚧与长角立毛蚁的互惠关系对寄主棉花叶片的光合生理产生了一定的负面效应,为进一步解释扶桑绵粉蚧入侵、扩散及暴发的生态学过程提供了科学依据。     

不同植物种类及棉花品种对扶桑绵粉蚧生物学影响研究进展

扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis是一种多食性入侵害虫,其寄主范围广、适应性强,已入侵多个国家和地区,对农业生产造成了严重危害。本文通过分析不同寄主植物上扶桑绵粉蚧研究,找出相对适宜与不适宜寄主植物,以便指导作物种植,并为培育抗扶桑绵粉蚧作物提供一定参考。本文通过收集分析相关文献,运用数理统计方法,综述和分析了不同寄主植物上扶桑绵粉蚧生长发育、生殖、抗逆等方面研究进展及其差异。发现马铃薯、豚草是极有利于扶桑绵粉蚧繁衍的植物,其次是扶桑与棉花。对10个品种棉花的分析发现,中棉所59对扶桑绵粉蚧具有较强的抗性,而抗虫棉RCH-134不具有抗性。对扶桑绵粉蚧生物学尤其是生长发育、繁殖能力等研究已经比较多,今后与该虫相关的抗虫育种、生物防治、分子生物学等研究可望成为重点。     

转换寄主前后扶桑绵粉蚧取食行为的EPG分析

【目的】分析扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis在发生寄主转移前后的取食行为,以据此评价其寄主适应性。【方法】利用刺吸电位（EPG）技术,量化扶桑绵粉蚧转换寄主植物前后的取食行为并进行对比分析。【结果】寄主转换后,扶桑绵粉蚧的取食行为受到显著的影响,需要耗费更多的时间到达韧皮部,总取食时间显著变短,取食效率降低。但寄主转换后,下一代成虫的取食效率提高,总刺探数、取食刺探数、总刺探时间以及到达韧皮部的效率与时间均与寄主转换前的扶桑绵粉蚧个体不存在显著差异。【结论】扶桑绵粉蚧的取食行为存在高度可塑性,这种特性利于扩大其寄主植物范围,有可能是促其成为重要农业入侵生物的原因之一。     

威胁棉花生产的外来入侵新害虫——扶桑绵粉蚧

2008年8月,在广东省广州市发现一种严重危害扶桑的害虫,经鉴定确认为扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley。2008年12月16日调查发现,在广州市的扶桑上多点发生。扶桑绵粉蚧原产美洲,最近几年入侵印度和巴基斯坦,严重危害棉花,其暴发危害已经造成了重大损失,成为威胁世界棉花安全的重大入侵害虫。文章提供扶桑绵粉蚧的形态特征、寄主、分布、危害等情况,并对其检疫与防控措施等提出建议。     

寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧体型及体内能源物质含量的影响

【目的】研究寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量的影响,为扶桑绵粉蚧的寄主适应性和风险分析提供科学参考。【方法】在室内用8种寄主植物连续饲养扶桑绵粉蚧5代后,测量7日龄雌成虫体长、体宽和体重,并测定体内能源物质(脂肪、可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖)含量,分析上述指标在不同寄主间的差异。【结果】取食不同寄主后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量存在显著差异。取食马铃薯后,雌成虫体长达4.80 mm,体宽为3.07 mm,单头体重为7.11 mg,显著高于取食其他寄主的雌成虫。取食棉花(Bt棉和常规棉)后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体内可溶性蛋白质含量最高(58.77和57.70 mg·g~(-1));取食常规棉后,可溶性糖含量最高(75.02 mg·g~(-1));取食马铃薯后,脂肪含量最高(349.00 mg·g~(-1))。【结论】寄主植物对扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型和体内能源物质含量有显著影响。取食马铃薯后,扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫体型较大,体内能源物质含量较高,因此应加强马铃薯上扶桑绵粉蚧的种群监测。     

基于形态特征和线粒体COI基因探讨扶桑绵粉蚧物种的有效性并记述一体色变异型扶桑绵粉蚧

扶桑绵粉蚧(Phenacoccus solenopsis)于2008年首次在广东发现,到目前为止,浙江、广西、云南等10多个省市均有其入侵的报道。为探讨入侵中国的扶桑绵粉蚧是否存在两大隐存谱系或姊妹种的复合种,作者对浙江的该物种进行了调查。在调查过程中,发现体色浅橘黄色、背部具三对黄色斑点的体色变异型个体,通过形态特征比较和线粒体COI基因部分序列的分析,证实该体色变异型粉蚧为扶桑绵粉蚧。同时对中国、巴基斯坦、美国的扶桑绵粉蚧COI基因序列进行碱基差异比较、遗传距离(genetic distance)分析,发现所扩增的浙江省内6个地点7种不同寄主植物上的25条扶桑绵粉蚧COI基因(694bp)可以分成3种单倍型,这3种单倍型与中国海南、中国广州、巴基斯坦和美国加州的扶桑绵粉蚧遗传分歧较小(0–1.0%),而与美国佛罗里达州的遗传分歧较大(3–3.6%);但两者遗传距离小于绵粉蚧属内物种之间的遗传距离(13.0–17.2%)。综合形态特征和COI基因数据的分析结果显示,扶桑绵粉蚧可能没有达到种间分化。基于碱基差异所构建的网络关系图、遗传分歧差异和系统发生关系分析,扶桑绵粉蚧存在两个进化支系,至于是否是复合种,目前尚难作结论,还有待更多证据。     

广州地区自然条件下扶桑绵粉蚧入侵定殖能力研究

【背景】扶桑绵粉蚧是一种对棉花等作物具有严重威胁的新的外来人侵害虫,2008年8月在广州市区扶桑上发现该虫。关于该虫入侵种群的大小是需要明确的基本人侵生物学问题之一。【方法】采用了野外接虫、定点系统跟踪观察的方法,研究了广州地区番茄、棉花田间扶桑绵粉蚧的最小入侵种群规模。【结果】扶桑绵粉蚧初始种群侵入棉花、番茄田3d后数量急剧下降,分别减少了82．7％、61．2％,进入3龄后田间种群数量呈现持续小幅度减少的规律,进入产卵期的雌虫出现概率分别为2．83％、2．5％。棉花上扶桑绵粉蚧单雌产卵量为532．6粒,明显高于番茄（418．4粒）。棉花、番茄田的入侵种群趋势指数分别为15．09、10．46,下一代种群呈明显增长趋势,能够成功定殖。棉花、番茄田扶桑绵粉蚧自然种群存活曲线均符合Ⅰ型（凹型）,存活率（S）与接虫后天数（D）的关系模型分别为S=（1．0000＋1．1．505D）-1.1250,S=（Q9996＋Q124810）^-3.0614。根据进入产卵期雌虫的概率,计算出保证扶桑绵粉蚧成功入侵的最小自然种群规模为36—40头。【结论与意义】广州地区6～8月番茄、棉花田新人侵的扶桑绵粉蚧自然种群存活曲线为Ⅰ型（凹型）,最小入侵种群规模为36—40头。该结果为深入研究扶桑绵粉蚧的入侵生物学特性和制定防治策略等提供了依据。     

线粒体细胞色素氧化酶I (mt COI) 序列分析揭示扶桑绵粉蚧复合种存在隐存谱系

过去约20年间扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley在许多国家造成严重危害。近年来该害虫传入我国, 对农业生产构成严峻威胁。外来入侵物种的快速准确鉴定是科学研究及其管理的基础。本研究对来自海南三亚和陵水地区的扶桑绵粉蚧的线粒体细胞色素氧化酶I （mt COI）测序并与美国佛罗里达州的扶桑绵粉蚧序列进行了比较。系统发育树表明该物种存在两个遗传支系, 即海南支系与佛罗里达支系; 这两个支系的遗传距离约3%。这是利用mt COI分子标记对我国扶桑绵粉蚧的首次分子鉴定. 这些结果提示：（1）扶桑绵粉蚧可能是至少含有两个隐存谱系或姊妹种的复合种; （2）新入侵我国海南三亚和陵水地区的扶桑绵粉蚧是该复合种内的一个隐存谱系或物种, 且海南三亚和陵水种群可能不是来自美国佛罗里达州。扶桑绵粉蚧隐存谱系的发现对于该物种的分子鉴定及其入侵生态学研究具有重要意义。     

云南扶桑绵粉蚧的发生及防治

扶桑绵粉蚧是一种全球恶性入侵害虫,2008年传入我国,目前已有13个省区报道其为害,2009年在云南省被发现,截至2013年3月,云南省共8个州(市) 10个县(市)已有分布。扶桑绵粉蚧寄主范围广,危害性大,适应性强。同时,云南省花卉、蔬菜调运及进出口贸易频繁,加之气候类型丰富、水热条件优越、自然地理环境复杂多样、动植物资源丰富等优势,有利于扶桑绵粉蚧的入侵、定殖与扩散,易造成较大的经济损失。目前,关于云南省扶桑绵粉蚧的研究仍然缺乏,现就扶桑绵粉蚧在云南的发生现状、潜在风险和防治措施等方面进行概述,以期为该虫的有效防范提供参考。     

杭州地区扶桑绵粉蚧危害调查及系统进化分析

【背景】扶桑绵粉蚧是近年来入侵我国的重要检疫性害虫,在我国多个省份均有发生,造成了严重的经济损失。【方法】于2009—2015年对杭州地区扶桑绵粉蚧的发生危害情况进行了实地调查,同时结合mt DNA COI分子标记方法,对扶桑绵粉蚧进行分子鉴定和系统进化分析。【结果】杭州市余杭区、萧山区和临安市3个地区发现扶桑绵粉蚧分布,共调查到寄主植物38科61属68种,以辣椒、茄子、番茄、南瓜、棉花、芝麻、菊花、苦荬菜、大花马齿苋和五色梅受害最严重。系统进化分析表明,杭州地区的扶桑绵粉蚧未发生明显的遗传分化,与我国其他地区扶桑绵粉蚧mt DNA COI基因相似度为99.4%~100%。【结论与意义】本研究为进一步研究扶桑绵粉蚧的遗传进化、可能的侵入途径以及科学防控提供了理论基础。     

Plant resources and colony growth in an invasive ant: the importance of honeydew-producing Hemiptera in carbohydrate transfer across trophic levels

Studies have suggested that plant-based nutritional resources are important in promoting high densities of omnivorous and invasive ants, but there have been no direct tests of the effects of these resources on colony productivity. We conducted an experiment designed to determine the relative importance of plants and honeydew-producing insects feeding on plants to the growth of colonies of the invasive ant Solenopsis invicta (Buren). We found that colonies of S. invicta grew substantially when they only had access to unlimited insect prey; however, colonies that also had access to plants colonized by honeydew-producing Hemiptera grew significantly and substantially ( approximately 50%) larger. Our experiment also showed that S. invicta was unable to acquire significant nutritional resources directly from the Hemiptera host plant but acquired them indirectly from honeydew. Honeydew alone is unlikely to be sufficient for colony growth, however, and both carbohydrates abundant in plants and proteins abundant in animals are likely to be necessary for optimal growth. Our experiment provides important insight into the effects of a common tritrophic interaction among an invasive mealybug, Antonina graminis (Maskell), an invasive host grass, Cynodon dactylon L. Pers., and S. invicta in the southeastern United States, suggesting that interactions among these species can be important in promoting extremely high population densities of S. invicta.     

红火蚁与两种本地蚂蚁间的干扰竞争

为了探讨重大入侵生物红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren与本地蚂蚁的竞争机制以及红火蚁成功入侵的机理, 本研究以红火蚁和2种本地蚂蚁黑头酸臭蚁Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius)及亮红大头蚁Pheidole fervida Smith为材料, 室内测定了红火蚁分别与黑头酸臭蚁、亮红大头蚁之间在个体水平和种群水平上的攻击性和攻击强度。一对一攻击试验结果表明：红火蚁和黑头酸臭蚁之间攻击级别多集中在Ⅲ级, 即竞争优势明显的红火蚁对黑头酸臭蚁缺乏激烈的攻击, 只是在相互攻击时多摆出威胁姿势; 红火蚁与亮红大头蚁之间攻击性较强, 尤其是红火蚁中型和小型工蚁与亮红大头蚁兵蚁之间的攻击性（3.35和3.30）显著强于红火蚁大型工蚁与亮红大头蚁兵蚁的攻击性（2.70）。群体攻击试验结果表明：与黑头酸臭蚁群体攻击的红火蚁各处理组合中, 无死亡红火蚁出现, 而黑头酸臭蚁死亡率为31.80%; 而与亮红大头蚁群体攻击中, 红火蚁死亡率为0.20%~12.00%, 而亮红大头蚁平均死亡率为49.91%。可见, 红火蚁的群体攻击能力强于黑头酸臭蚁和亮红大头蚁, 其中红火蚁与亮红大头蚁间的相互攻击程度激烈, 死亡率较高, 而与黑头酸臭蚁间的攻击程度较弱, 可能由于黑头酸臭蚁化学防御对本身起到一定的保护作用, 这为进一步加强红火蚁发生区本地蚂蚁优势种--黑头酸臭蚁的保护利用提供理论基础。     

扶桑绵粉蚧及其蜜露对红火蚁的召集作用

为了明确扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley及其蜜露对红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren的召集作用,利用双向选择诱集装置测定了扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫及其分泌蜜露对红火蚁工蚁的诱集数量动态。结果表明：（1）蜜露对红火蚁工蚁具有强烈的召集作用,不管扶桑绵粉蚧存在与否,均可在10~20 min出现觅食工蚁的数量高峰,之后随着蜜露量减少,觅食工蚁诱集数量也逐渐降低,明显高于对照;（2）仅有扶桑绵粉蚧雌成虫存在时,红火蚁觅食工蚁数量呈现逐渐增加的趋势,50 min才达到数量高峰,之后无明显下降趋势;（3）对比蜜露和雌成虫对红火蚁工蚁的诱集结果发现,蜜露对红火蚁工蚁的召集作用明显较强,10 min即可出现91.50头的觅食工蚁数量高峰,而雌成虫对红火蚁的诱集量较低,诱集高峰出现在42 min,诱集量仅为39.17头。因此,扶桑绵粉蚧及其蜜露均对红火蚁工蚁具有一定的召集作用,蜜露的召集作用明显较强,而雌成虫的召集作用较为稳定,未随着时间延长出现明显下降。     

Phorid flies, Pseudacteon spp. (Diptera: Phoridae), affect forager size ratios of red imported fire ants Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Texas

Multiple species of Pseudacteon phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae) are currently being released throughout the southern United States to aid biological control of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). It is anticipated that these flies will interfere with S. invicta foraging, allowing native ant assemblages to outcompete S. invicta for available resources. Numerous studies have shown a decrease in S. invicta foraging intensity when exposed to phorids. This study documents a behavioral change in phorid-exposed S. invicta colonies at a phorid release site in central Texas. Significant differences in forager size ratios were detected between phorid-exposed and phorid-absent colonies. A similar phenomenon was recently documented in the native range of these insects in South America as well. Experimental manipulation of ratios of S. invicta worker sizes has been shown to have important effects on colony success. This newly documented phorid-mediated S. invicta colony-level effect represents a significant shift in S. invicta foraging dynamics and may provide an additional mechanism by which phorids can influence S. invicta populations in their United States range.     

Does Mutualism Drive the Invasion of Two Alien Species? The Case of Solenopsis invicta and Phenacoccus solenopsis

Although mutualism between ants and honeydew-producing hemipterans has been extensively recognized in ecosystem biology, however few attempts to test the hypothesis that mutualism between two alien species leads to the facilitation of the invasion process. To address this problem, we focus on the conditional mutualism between S. invicta and P. solenopsis by field investigations and indoor experiments. In the laboratory, ant colony growth increased significantly when ants had access to P. solenopsis and animal-based food. Honeydew produced by P. solenopsis also improved the survival of ant workers. In the field, colony density of P. solenopsis was significantly greater on plots with ants than on plots without ants. The number of mealybug mummies on plants without fire ants was almost three times that of plants with fire ants, indicating a strong effect of fire ants on mealybug survival. In addition, the presence of S. invicta successfully contributed to the spread of P. solenopsis. The quantity of honeydew consumption by S. invicta was significantly greater than that of a presumptive native ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum. When compared with the case without ant tending, mealybugs tended by ants matured earlier and their lifespan and reproduction increased. T. melanocephalum workers arrived at honeydew more quickly than S. invicta workers, while the number of foraging S. invicta workers on plants steadily increased, eventually exceeding that number of T. melanocephalum foragers. Overall, these results suggest that the conditional mutualism between S. invicta and P. solenopsis facilitates population growth and fitness of both species. S. invicta tends to acquire much more honeydew and drive away native ants, promoting their predominance. These results suggest that the higher foraging tempo of S. invicta may provide more effective protection of P. solenopsis than native ants. Thus mutualism between these two alien species may facilitate the invasion success of both species.     

Effect of Host Plants on Honeydew Production of an Invasive Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Honeydew production plays a key role in mutualism between the mealybugs and ants. However, no studies have focused on the amount and circadian rules of honeydew excreted by Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, a new invasive species which has conditional mutualism with Solenopsis invicta Buren in China. To address this problem, we measured the weight and estimated honeydew production in all stages of development of the invasive mealybug, P. solenopsis, as well as its honeydew production on tomato (Solanum lycopersicun), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and cotton (Gossypium sp.) for 24 h. The honeydew excreted by each instar of the mealybug in H. rosa-sinensis was measured for 2 weeks. Our results revealed that the weight of mealybugs significantly varied at different development stages. Host plants had no significant effect on the weight of nymphs, although the weight of a single adult reared on S. lycopersicun was significantly heavier than those reared on H. rosa-sinensis and G. sp. The amount of honeydew excreted by the 1st instar nymphs in S. lycopersicum was significantly greater than that on H. rosa-sinensis and G. sp. Each instar mealybug produced more honeydew when fed with S. lycopersicum compared with H. rosa-sinensis and G. sp. The amount of honeydew excreted by mealybugs when provisioned with H. rosa-sinensis was no different from mealybugs provisioned with G. spp. while in the same instar. The amount of honeydew excreted by the 1st and 2nd instar nymphs was not significantly different on the same host plant. However, there was a significant difference between the 3rd instar nymph and the adult. The amount of honeydew excreted by a single adult when provisioned with H. rosa-sinensis decreased from 3085.3 μg to 572.0 μg in 2 weeks. The 2nd instar nymph, 3rd instar nymph, and adult excreted honeydew more frequently during the day than at night, while the frequency of honeydew excretion of the 1st instar nymph had no significant difference between daytime and night.     

Effects Of Tending By Solenopsis Invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) On The Sugar Composition And Concentration In The Honeydew Of An Invasive Mealybug,Phenacoccus Solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Mutualistic interactions between ants and hemipterans are mediated by the honeydew produced by the hemipterans. Previous works have demonstrated that the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis produces abundant honeydew and attracts a large number of workers of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. Mealybugs exhibit higher fecundity when tended by fire ants. The honeydew produced by P. solenopsis plays an important role in interactions between these two species. However, relatively few studies have focused on whether there is a cost to P. solenopsis mealybugs of being tended by S. invicta through changes in their excretion behavior and the quantity of honeydew produced. Our results indicated that the honeydew of P. solenopsis contains xylose, fructose, sucrose, trehalose, melezitose, and raffinose. The sugar concentration in the mealybug honeydew changed in an ant‐tended treatment. When tended by fire ants, the mealybugs generated honeydew with a significantly decreased xylose concentration. In contrast, the droplets showed a considerable increase in the melezitose concentration. P. solenopsis excreted honeydew more frequently when tended by S. invicta, but the weights of the droplets excreted by the ant‐tended mealybugs were significantly lower. In addition, S. invicta exhibited a significant preference for different sugars. Melezitose was visited more intensively than the other sugars in two choice tests. These results may suggest that, to attract more tending ants, mealybugs adjust their carbohydrate metabolism.     

Aggressive interactions between Solenopsis invicta and Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) under laboratory conditions

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), and the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, are natural agonists in their country of origin. Since the first report of L. humile in California in 1907 its range expanded statewide, displacing native ant species wherever it spread. Since the discovery of established populations of S. invicta in southern California in 1998, it has been restricted to discrete areas of southern California. However, as these discrete populations expand, they are encountering large populations of L. humile, which are effective competitors for available resources and are particularly aggressive in their encounters with other ant species such as S. invicta. Most Dolichoderine ants such as L. humile do not prefer to forage on baits made with defatted corn grit and soybean oil typically used in red imported fire ant control programs. Applications of these baits in areas where distributions of these species overlap might selectively affect populations of S. invicta and give L. humile a competitive advantage. Three laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the competitive outcomes between S. invicta pitted against L. humile: 1) agonistic behavior of workers in small arenas, 2) colony interactions with different population ratios, and 3) the effects of pyriproxyfen on the competitiveness of S. invicta against L. humile. Populations of S. invicta consisting of major workers killed more L. humile than did minors or a mixture of majors and minors. When paired against L. humile colonies consisting of 1,100 workers, colonies consisting of 38 S. invicta workers were easily defeated by L. humile. Colonies consisting of 450 S. invicta workers plugged their nest entrances, but they were ultimately defeated by L. humile after 13 d. The S. invicta colonies consisting of 1,100 workers took control of the bridge connecting the colonies, invaded the L. humile colony, killed the Argentine ant queens, and removed their brood. Pyriproxyfen-treated fire ant workers took significantly longer to chase the Argentine ants from a connecting bridge than did untreated fire ants. Thus, fire ant baits may have long-term effects on intercolonial aggression between S. invicta and L. humile, especially when Argentine ant populations are high in the summer.     

Ecological effects of multi‐species,ant–hemipteran mutualisms in citrus

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Apparent facilitation of an invasive mealybug by an invasive ant

Summary In the southeast United States, the invasive ant Solenopsis invicta is known to derive important carbohydrate (honeydew) resources from mealybugs utilizing grasses. Most important appears to be an invasive mealybug, Antonina graminis. We studied whether this mealybug and a similar native species also benefit from association with S. invicta. We found that mealybug occurrence increases significantly with increasing proximity to S. invicta mounds, suggesting that mealybugs benefit as well. Mutual benefits derived by S. invicta and A. graminis are consistent with a hypothesis proposing that associations among invasive species can be important in their success at introduced locations.