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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #100659
Title: EFFECTS OF JUVENILE HORMONE AND PRECOCENE TREATMENTS ON DEALATION OF SOLENOPSIS INVICTA FEMALE ALATES

Author
item BURNS, S. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item Vander Meer, Robert - Bob
item Teal, Peter
item NATION, J. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: NA

Technical Abstract: Topical treatments of JH III induced wing casting in sexually mature Solenopsis invicta female alates. One hundred percent dealation occurred within 24hr of applying 1ng of JH III in 1ul of acetone, while longer time periods were observed for smaller doses. Topical applications of precocene I and II (100ug/ul of acetone) prevented dealation in disinhibited alates. Because precocene destroys the corpora allata, the source of JH, these results strongly suggest that JH is the natural inducer of wing casting in S. invicta. Similar rates of dealation were observed in sexually immature (newly-eclosed) and mature (7-day- and 14-day-old) S. invicta female alates that were released from queen pheromonal control. One hundred percent dealation occurred within four days of disinhibition. The results of this study suggest that the quantities of JH produced in S. invicta do not increase with age; hence, once freed from pheromonal control, sexually mature female alates do not shed their wings more readily than sexually immature individuals. These findings also suggest that the corpora allata of alates become active within four days of pheromonal liberation, regardless of sexual maturity. The area (length x width) of the corpora allata was measured for sexually mature S. invicta female alates and sexually mature queens and unmated dealates. Results indicate that there are no differences in the sizes of the glands among these groups. Though no evidence in the literature correlates the size of the corpora allata and the production of JH, measurements obtained from this study provide additional data to our limited knowledge of the corpora allata in S invicta.