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Title: RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS (SOLENOPSIS INVICTA BUREN) FAIL TO REDUCE PREDATOR ABUNDANCE IN PEANUTS

Author
item Vogt, James
item MULDER, P - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV.
item SHERIDAN, A - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV.
item WRIGHT, RUSSELL - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2001
Publication Date: 4/1/2002
Citation: VOGT, J.T., MULDER, P., SHERIDAN, A., WRIGHT, R.E. RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS (SOLENOPSIS INVICTA BUREN) FAIL TO REDUCE PREDATOR ABUNDANCE IN PEANUTS. JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 2002. V. 37. P. 200-202.

Interpretive Summary: Fire ants are the subject of a great deal of controversy in peanut production in Oklahoma. Some peanut graders may have attributed pod damage to fire ants; however, no evidence exists to suggest that the ants damage mature peanut pods. No published information is currently available quantifying the effects of fire ants on other insects in peanut fields. We determined that fire ants do not reduce the abundance of common predators in peanut fields, such as spiders and ground beetles. In a related study, we determined that while fire ants can consume peanut seed that is exposed on the soil surface, they do not damage mature pods. Interestingly, a positive relationship was noted between one plant pest (three-cornered alfalfa hopper) and fire ants. Determination of the net effect of fire ants on peanut production will require further research.

Technical Abstract: Ten plots (approx. 30 X 30 m) were established in a southern OK peanut field, and red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren) were reduced in half of them using commercial bait products, resulting in a completely randomized block design (blocked by location in the field) replicated 5 times. Arthropod abundance was monitored in the plots throughout the season using pitfall traps (8 per plot, 24 h samples) and sweep samples (25 sweeps per plot) approx. every 2 weeks. Data were analyzed as a split-plot in time. Ant abundance was greatly reduced in treated plots as measured by pitfall traps (P=0.0004). Spiders, the most abundant generalist predators collected, occurred in similar numbers in treated vs. untreated plots in pitfalls (P=0.17) and sweep samples (P=0.78). Carabidae (ground beetles) were not affected by ant abundance as measured by pitfall traps (P=0.24); only 3 were collected in sweep samples during the study. Other predators occurred in low numbers in treated and untreated plots. Interestingly, more three-cornered alfalfa hoppers [Spissistilus festinus (Say)] were collected in untreated (high ant density) plots than treated plots; this relationship merits further investigation.