两种火蚁与黑头酸臭蚁上颚形态及其超微结构观察

应用扫描电镜和光学显微镜观察了红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren、热带火蚁Solenopsis geminata Fabricius和黑头酸臭蚁Tapinoma melanocephalum Fabricius的上颚类型及形态特征。头宽和上颚长度测量结果表明:两种火蚁的头宽和上颚大小具有连续性特征,黑头酸臭蚁工蚁仅1个类型,3种蚂蚁中黑头酸臭蚁的上颚最小,其前端具4个锋利切齿叶,后部有一排小而钝的臼齿叶,上颚内缘较光滑。在形态上,红火蚁的大、中、小型工蚁与热带火蚁工蚁的上颚区别不大,表面纹理光滑,都具4个锋利小齿,上颚内缘也比较光滑;热带火蚁兵蚁上颚仅3个小齿且较钝,其上颚内缘凹面比两种火蚁工蚁的深且纹理粗糙,推测红火蚁工蚁不仅用于筑巢,还用于防御,而热带火蚁兵蚁的强壮上颚可能主要用于磨碎食物,而非保卫蚁巢。     

红火蚁及其他两种蚂蚁毒腺细菌鉴定与多样性分析(英文)

【目的】本研究旨在分析红火蚁Solenopsis invicta毒腺细菌群落多样性,并与热带火蚁Solenopsis geminata和聚纹双刺猛蚁Diacamma rugosum比较毒腺细菌群落差异。【方法】采用Illumine Hiseq 2500测序平台对红火蚁(工蚁、有翅蚁和蚁后)、热带火蚁(工蚁)及聚纹双刺猛蚁(工蚁)毒腺细菌群落16S rRNA基因V3-V4区测序,基于测序数据进行生物信息学分析。【结果】变形菌门(Proteobacteria)在红火蚁工蚁、有翅蚁和蚁后以及热带火蚁工蚁毒腺中占优势,而厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中占优势。与红火蚁工蚁和有翅蚁相比,柔壁菌门(Tenericutes)在红火蚁蚁后毒腺中更丰富。广州红火蚁蚁后毒腺中假单胞杆菌Pseudomonas相对丰度显著高于其在有翅蚁及工蚁中的。螺原体Spiroplasma相对丰度在热带火蚁毒腺中显著高于在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中的。毒腺中细菌多样性分析发现,芽孢杆菌属Bacillus和乳酸杆菌属Lactobacillus在广西红火蚁工蚁中的相对丰度显著高于在广州红火蚁工蚁中的。然而,乳酸杆菌属细菌在聚纹双刺猛蚁工蚁毒腺中的相对丰度显著高于广西的热带火蚁工蚁毒腺中的。【结论】毒腺细菌组成和多样性在3种不同种类蚂蚁工蚁和红火蚁不同品级中存在差异。     

红火蚁与热带火蚁间的干扰竞争

【目的】为了探讨入侵火蚁在我国成功定殖及其之间的竞争机制。【方法】运用行为学方法研究红火蚁Solenopsis invicta(Buren)和热带火蚁Solenopsis geminata(Fabricius)在个体水平和群体水平上的攻击性、攻击手段及合作能力。【结果】一对一攻击试验中,红火蚁和热带火蚁之间攻击级别多集中在3级,两种入侵蚂蚁间以相互威胁为主;红火蚁大型工蚁与热带火蚁兵、工蚁间最为好斗,其攻击级别达到4级的比例最高,分别为33.04%、37.92%。热带火蚁兵蚁与各型红火蚁间攻击强度差异不显著;热带火蚁工蚁与红火蚁小型工蚁之间的攻击性最强,其攻击性(3.49)显著高于热带火蚁工蚁与红火蚁大、中型工蚁的攻击性(3.32和2.97)。在攻击手段上,3级打斗时各型红火蚁更倾向以物理攻击主动威胁热带火蚁,而热带火蚁兵、工蚁会采取多种方式主动攻击红火蚁,双方皆以躲避应对为主;4级打斗时两种火蚁主要以混合攻击为主动或应对手段。群体攻击试验显示,红火蚁群体间攻击强度和合作性会随着群体数量的增加而显著增加,热带火蚁合作性较差,其群体对抗红火蚁的优势仅仅是由于个体数量的增加。【结论】红火蚁比热带火蚁具有更强的竞争优势。研究结果为入侵蚂蚁间不对称竞争机制和长期群落替代的内在原因提供理论基础。     

Interspecific competition between Solenopsis invicta and two native ant species, Pheidole fervens and Monomorium chinense

This study was designed to understand the effects of the interspecific competition between red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren and two native ant species, Pheidole fervens Smith and Monomorium chinense Santschi, by conducting colony interference and individual confrontation tests under laboratory conditions. The colony interference test showed that both native ant species, owing to their numerical advantage, killed the Solenopsis invicta virus-1 (SINV-1)-infected or healthy queens of S. invicta. Significantly less time was required for M. chinense to kill all SINV-1-infected S. invicta compared with the time required to kill the healthy S. invicta. Compared with healthy S. invicta, SINV-1-infected S. invicta spent a longer time eliminating the P. fervens colonies. In confrontation tests, M. chinense killed a significantly higher number of infected S. invicta minors than they did healthy minors, but the number of S. invicta majors (either infected or healthy) killed was substantially less. This study found that the viral infection weakened the competitive ability of S. invicta and made them prone to be eliminated by M. chinense but not by P. fervens.     

Detection of Thelohania solenopsae (Microsporidia: Thelohaniidae) in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by multiplex PCR

Oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed to unique areas of the small subunit (16S) rRNA gene of Thelohania solenopsae and a region of the Gp-9 gene of Solenopsis invicta. Multiplex PCR resulted in sensitive and specific detection of T. solenopsae infection of S. invicta. The T. solenopsae-specific primer pair only amplified DNA from T. solenopsae and T. solenopsae-infected S. invicta. This primer pair did not produce any amplification products from DNA preparations from uninfected S. invicta, seven additional species of microsporidia (including Vairimorpha invictae), or Mattesia spp. The Gp-9-specific primers recognized and amplified DNA from Solenopsis xyloni, Solenopsis richteri, Solenopsis geminata, the invicta/richteri hybrid, and monogyne and polygyne S. invicta, but not from T. solenopsae, and, as such, served as a positive control verifying successful DNA preparation. Multiplex PCR detected T. solenopsae in worker fire ants infected with as few as 5000 spores. Furthermore, multiplex PCR detected T. solenopsae in all developmental stages of S. invicta. However, detection could be made more sensitive by using only the T. solenopsae-specific primer pair; ants infected with as few as 10 spores were able to be discerned. Multiplex PCR detection of T. solenopsae offers the advantages of a positive control, a single PCR amplification, detection of all developmental stages, and increased sensitivity and specificity compared with microscopy.     

Reproductive division of labor between hybrid and nonhybrid offspring in a fire ant hybrid zone

Abstract.— Interspecific hybridization can often impose a substantial fitness cost due to reduced hybrid viability or fecundity. In social insects, however, such costs disproportionately impact reproductive offspring, whereas hybrids who become sterile workers can be functional, and even beneficial, colony members. Genomic imprinting of the paternal genome in reproductive, but not worker female offspring has been proposed as a mechanism to avoid genomic incompatibilities in hybrid queens in a hybrid zone between two fire ant species, Solenopsis geminata and S. xyloni. A study of allozyme variation demonstrated differences between the worker caste displaying a hybrid phenotype, and the winged queen caste displaying only the mother's phenotype. In this study, we investigate whether these differences are caused by genomic imprinting or genetic differences between castes by comparing variability of proteins to that of microsatellite markers. Workers and winged queens differed genetically at both classes of marker, indicating that allozyme differences were caused by underlying genetic differences between castes rather than differences in gene expression due to imprinting. Workers were F1 S. geminata X S. xyloni hybrids, whereas nearly all winged queens were of pure S. xyloni ancestry. Thus, S. xyloni within the hybrid zone appears to have evolved social hybridogenesis, in which the loss of worker potential in pure-species offspring necessitates hybridization for worker production, but prevents hybrids from being represented in the reproductive caste.     

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.     

Establishing guidelines to improve identification of fire ants Solenopsis xyloni and Solenopsis invicta

As red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, continues to expand its range into the southwestern United States, it can be easily confused with the native southern fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni McCook. Variability in the morphological characteristics commonly used to differentiate these ant species was quantified by examining the length of the clypeal tooth, striations of the mesopleuron, length of antennal scape, area of the petiolar process, number and size of mandibular teeth, and color by using both scanning electron and light microscopy. Given enough samples, the average values of each of these characteristics is different between the two species; however, significant morphological variability occurs in both S. xyloni and S. invicta populations, creating an area of overlap where either of the two species could exhibit similar characteristics. Better differentiation of these two species is achieved using a combination of characteristics, but morphological techniques are not dependable unless numerous ants from each population are analyzed by a taxonomist familiar with Solenopsis. For situations requiring a more accurate identification, such as before quarantining a county or a portion of a county, a molecular technique using mitochondrial DNA and polymerase chain reaction techniques was developed.     

Phenology, distribution, and host specificity of Solenopsis invicta virus-1

Studies were conducted to examine the phenology, geographic distribution, and host specificity of the Solenopsis invicta virus-1 (SINV-1). Two genotypes examined, SINV-1 and -1A, exhibited similar seasonal prevalence patterns. Infection rates among colonies of S. invicta in Gainesville, Florida, were lowest from early winter (December) to early spring (April) increasing rapidly in late spring (May) and remaining high through August before declining again in the fall (September/October). Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between mean monthly temperature and SINV-1 (p<0.0005, r=0.82) and SINV-1A (p<0.0001, r=0.86) infection rates in S. invicta colonies. SINV-1 was widely distributed among S. invicta populations. The virus was detected in S. invicta from Argentina and from all U.S. states examined, with the exception of New Mexico. SINV-1 and -1A were also detected in other Solenopsis species. SINV-1 was detected in Solenopsis richteri and the S. invicta/richteri hybrid collected from northern Alabama and Solenopsis geminata from Florida. SINV-1A was detected in S. geminata and Solenopsis carolinensis in Florida and the S. invicta/richteri hybrid in Alabama. Of the 1989 arthropods collected from 6 pitfall trap experiments from Gainesville and Williston, Florida, none except S. invicta tested positive for SINV-1 or SINV-1A. SINV-1 did not appear to infect or replicate within Sf9 or Dm-2 cells in vitro. The number of SINV-1 genome copies did not significantly increase over the course of the experiment, nor were any cytopathic effects observed. Phylogenetic analyses of SINV-1/-1A nucleotide sequences indicated significant divergence between viruses collected from Argentina and the U.S.     

Parasitoid–host relationships when host size varies: the case of Pseudacteon flies and Solenopsis fire ants

Abstract. 1. Phorid flies in the genus Pseudacteon are parasitoids of ants. Variation in host size preferences of four South American and two North American Pseudacteon species on monogyne and polygyne forms of their host Solenopsis species [ S. invicta Buren and S. geminata (F.), respectively] was documented.
2. Monogyne Solenopsis workers were, on average, significantly larger than polygyne workers, and the average size monogyne worker attacked was significantly larger than the average size polygyne worker attacked in four of the six Pseudacteon species.
3. Three South American Pseudacteon species attacked larger than average size workers, whereas one attacked smaller than average size workers, in both monogyne and polygyne forms. Both North American Pseudacteon species attacked larger than average size polygyne workers and smaller than average size monogyne workers.
4. Three Pseudacteon species were reared from eggs to adults in infected ants in the laboratory. The size of the emergent phorid fly was related positively to the size of the host worker ant, with females emerging from larger hosts. Similar patterns were documented for both monogyne and polygyne forms.
5. The mean size of worker host from which phorids emerged did not differ significantly between the monogyne and polygyne forms in the subsample of phorids reared to adults.
6. The observed patterns elucidate factors that may cause variation in Pseudacteon sex ratios, and have implications for biological control efforts of pest Solenopsis species.     

入侵中国大陆的红火蚁的鉴定及发生为害调查

根据形态特征鉴定结果首次证实红火蚁SolenopsisinvictaBuren入侵中国大陆 ,并调查了广东省吴川市红火蚁发生为害情况。调查结果表明 ,发生区内部分地点红火蚁发生密度较高 ,主要发生于较稳定的生态环境中 ,如荒坡、草地、长满杂草的田埂等。红火蚁已对当地农业生产、人们的身体健康、日常生活等造成了不利影响。此外 ,Cytb基因序列分析结果表明 ,采自美国佛罗里达和广东吴川的红火蚁与采自广东 4个地方的热带火蚁S .geminata (Fabr.)两物种间有 61个变异位点 ,种内变异为 0。限制性酶切多态实验 (RFLP)的结果显示 ,BamHI酶在红火蚁的特异扩增片段中有一个识别位点 ,而在热带火蚁中无酶切位点 ;MspI酶在热带火蚁的扩增片段中也有一个识别位点 ,而在红火蚁中无识别位点。有酶切位点的扩增产物在酶切后分别获得近 2 0 0bp与 2 5 0bp的片段各一带。因此 ,用PCR RFLP的方法可以简单快速地鉴别红火蚁和热带火蚁。     

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.     

Colony genetic structure and queen mating frequency in fire ants of the subgenus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Colony genetic structure was studied in natural populations of three fire ant taxa, Solenopsis richteri Forel, S. geminata (Fabr.), and hybrid S. invicta/richteri , using allozyme markers. All colonies studied exhibited arrays of female genotypes predicted under a model of monogyny (single functional queen) and monoandry (single insemination of queens). Males produced in the colonies appear to originate exclusively from the foundress queen, rather than from any virgin females present in the colonies. Thus these social insect colonies represent simple, albeit enormous, family groups. Single insemination and foundress parentage of males appear to be conserved reproductive traits in the subgenus Solenopsis , whereas another major determinant of colony genetic structure, the number of functional queens, is evolutionarily labile in this group.     

Predaceous ants, beach replenishment, and nest placement by sea turtles

Ants known for attacking and killing hatchling birds and reptiles include the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren), tropical fire ant [Solenopsis geminata (Fabr.)], and little fire ant [Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger)]. We tested whether sea turtle nest placement influenced exposure to predaceous ants. In 2000 and 2001, we surveyed ants along a Florida beach where green turtles (Chelonia mydas L.), leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea Vandelli), and loggerheads (Caretta caretta L.) nest. Part of the beach was artificially replenished between our two surveys. As a result, mean beach width experienced by nesting turtles differed greatly between the two nesting seasons. We surveyed 1,548 sea turtle nests (2000: 909 nests; 2001: 639 nests) and found 22 ant species. S. invicta was by far the most common species (on 431 nests); S. geminata and W. auropunctata were uncommon (on 3 and 16 nests, respectively). In 2000, 62.5% of nests had ants present (35.9% with S. invicta), but in 2001, only 30.5% of the nests had ants present (16.4% with S. invicta). Turtle nests closer to dune vegetation had significantly greater exposure to ants. Differences in ant presence on turtle nests between years and among turtle species were closely related to differences in nest placement relative to dune vegetation. Beach replenishment significantly lowered exposure of nests to ants because on the wider beaches turtles nested farther from the dune vegetation. Selective pressures on nesting sea turtles are altered both by the presence of predaceous ants and the practice of beach replenishment.     

Fly pupae as attractant carriers for toxic baits for red imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Eight laboratory-reared ant species were fed baits of house fly, Musca domestica L., pupae treated with hydramethylnon. Two fire ant species, Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis geminata (F.), and Pheidole morrissi (Forel) were killed; average percentage of mortality of the five other species was less than 20%. In contrast, all species that were fed the commercial fire ant bait containing hydramethylnon (Amdro) died or were adversely affected. In the field, applications of house fly pupae and eye gnat, Hippelates pusio Loew, pupae dipped in acetone solutions of fenoxycarb significantly reduced population indices of the red imported fire ant, S. invicta, compared with commercial formulations of fenoxycarb (Logic) and hydramethylnon (Amdro). Field observations showed that the pupae of either species can be carried or moved by one or two worker ants. The smooth, hard cuticle of the pupae make them easy to handle and apply with application equipment. The current cost of house fly pupae is considerably more than the cost of a granular carrier, pregel defatted corn grits. However, if mass-production methods reduce this price differential, fly pupae could become an effective and more species-specific fire ant bait carrier.     

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。     

Experimental evidence that the introduced fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, does not competitively suppress co-occurring ants in a disturbed habitat

1. The fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is a globally distributed invasive ant that is largely restricted to disturbed habitats in its introduced range. For more than half a century, biologists have believed its success results from superior competitive abilities relative to native ant species, as well as an escape from their natural enemies. 2. We used large volumes of hot water to kill fire ant colonies, and only fire ant colonies, on experimental plots in pastures, and found that populations and diversity of co-occurring ants did not subsequently increase. 3. These results are contrary to classical predictions and indicate that S. invicta is not a superior competitor that suppresses native ants, and that the low diversity and abundance of native ants in degraded ecosystems does not result from interaction with fire ants. Instead, other factors such as prior disturbance and recruitment limitation may be the primary limiting factors for native species in these habitats.     

Phorid fly parasitoids of invasive fire ants indirectly improve the competitive ability of a native ant

Abstract.  1. The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is an invasive species of south-eastern U.S.A. Since its introduction from South America approximately 70 years ago, this pest has devastated natural biodiversity.
2. Due to such ecological costs, Pseudacteon phorid fly parasitoids (Diptera: Phoridae) from South America are being introduced into the U.S.A. as a potential biological control agent. Here, the indirect effects of these specialised parasitoids on an interspecific native ant competitor, Forelius mccooki (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), are evaluated.
3. Over the course of a 50-day laboratory experiment, the results show that the native ant improved aspects of exploitative, but not interference, competition when S. invicta -attacking flies were present compared with when they were absent.
4.  Forelius mccooki colonies from the phorid treatment had approximately twice as many foragers at food baits relative to controls; however, there was no significant difference in interference aspects of competition or native ant colony growth between the two treatments.
5. These results suggest that the S. invicta -specialised parasitoids help shift the competitive balance more in favour of F. mccooki than if these flies were not present; however, this competitive advantage does not translate into increased colony growth after 50 days. These laboratory findings are interpreted with regard to the more complex interactions in the field.     

Use of ribosomal DNA sequence data to characterize and detect a neogregarine pathogen of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A neogregarine parasite of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, was discovered recently in Florida and tentatively placed in the Mattesia genus based on morphological characterization. S. invicta infected with this Mattesia species exhibited a characteristic yellowing of the cuticle which was designated Mattesia "yellow-head disease" (YHD). The 18S rRNA gene sequence from Mattesia YHD was elucidated and compared with the neogregarine pathogens, Mattesia geminata and Ophriocystis elektroscirrha. The sequence data support the previous conclusion that Mattesia YHD is a new species that infects S. invicta. Furthermore, high sequence identity between Mattesia YHD, M. geminata (95.7%), and O. elektroscirrha (86.2%) correctly place the YHD organism in the Mattesia genus and Neogregarinorida order. Oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed to unique areas of the 18S rRNA genes of Mattesia YHD and S. invicta. Multiplex PCR resulted in sensitive and specific detection of Mattesia YHD infection of S. invicta.     

Sampling efficacy for the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Cost-effective detection of invasive ant colonies before establishment in new ranges is imperative for the protection of national borders and reducing their global impact. We examined the sampling efficiency of food-baits and pitfall traps (baited and nonbaited) in detecting isolated red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) nests in multiple environments in Gainesville, FL. Fire ants demonstrated a significantly higher preference for a mixed protein food type (hotdog or ground meat combined with sweet peanut butter) than for the sugar or water baits offered. Foraging distance success was a function of colony size, detection trap used, and surveillance duration. Colony gyne number did not influence detection success. Workers from small nests (0- to 15-cm mound diameter) traveled no >3 m to a food source, whereas large colonies (>30-cm mound diameter) traveled up to 17 m. Baited pitfall traps performed best at detecting incipient ant colonies followed by nonbaited pitfall traps then food baits, whereas food baits performed well when trying to detect large colonies. These results were used to create an interactive model in Microsoft Excel, whereby surveillance managers can alter trap type, density, and duration parameters to estimate the probability of detecting specified or unknown S. invicta colony sizes. This model will support decision makers who need to balance the sampling cost and risk of failure to detect fire ant colonies.