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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307250

Title: Solenopsis invicta virus (sinv-1) infection and insecticide interactions in the red imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Author
item TUFTS, DANIELLE - University Of Nebraska
item Hunter, Wayne
item BEXTINE, BLAKE - University Of Texas

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2014
Publication Date: 9/2/2014
Citation: Tufts, D.M., Hunter, W.B., Bextine, B.R. 2014. Solenopsis invicta virus (sinv-1) infection and insecticide interactions in the red imported fire ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist. 97(3):1251-1254.

Interpretive Summary: Controlling invasive species is a growing concern; however, pesticides can be detrimental for non-target organisms. The red imported fire ant has aggressively invaded approximately 138 million ha in the USA and causes over $6 billion in damage and control efforts annually. SINV-1 is a positive sense, single-stranded Ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus, which is specifically a fire ant virus. Ants infected with this and others not infected were treated with commercial insecticides. Surprisingly, virus-infected ants demonstrated significantly greater survival rates than non-infected individuals. Ant viruses may provide an as yet unidentified benefit to aid individual ant survival.

Technical Abstract: Controlling invasive species is a growing concern; however, pesticides can be detrimental for non-target organisms. The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has aggressively invaded approximately 138 million ha in the USA and causes over $6 billion in damage and control efforts annually. The Solenopsis invicta virus (SINV-1) is a positive sense, single-stranded Ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus, which can only infect the genus Solenopsis at all stages of development, and is vertically-transmitted within a colony. SINV-1 infected ants were evaluated for survival after exposure to commercial insecticides: Amdro Fire Ant Bait (5-dimethyl-2(1H)-pyrimidinone[3-[4(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1-[2-[4-(trifluoromthyl)phenyl]etheny]-2-propenylidene]hydrazone) and Over n’Out (O&O) Fire Ant Killer ((RS)-5-amino-1-[2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-(trifluoromethylsulfinyl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonitrile). Virus infected ants demonstrated significantly greater survival rates than non-infected but chemically treated individuals. SINV-1 might provide some unidentified benefit to aid individual ant survival.