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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169068
Title: TIMING BAIT APPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL OF SOLENOPSIS SPP. FIRE ANTS...

Author
item VOGT, JAMES
item REED, J - DEPT OF ENT,MISS ST. UNIV
item BROWN, R - DEPT OF ENT,MISS ST. UNIV

Submitted to: International Journal of Pest Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/2005
Publication Date: 4/1/2005
Citation: Vogt, J.T., Reed, J.T., Brown, R.L. Timing bait applications for control of solenopsis spp. fire ants.... International Journal of Pest Management. 51: 121-130. 2005.

Interpretive Summary: ARS researchers are studying ways to preserve beneficial native ants while reducing population density of imported fire ants. Earlier work by ARS researchers in collaboration with University partners demonstrated that some native ants common to Mississippi pastures cease or greatly reduce food gathering (foraging) activity at night. An experiment was conducted to determine the impact of mid-day and late evening bait application on imported fire ants and native ants. Both application regimes reduced population densities of imported fire ants and common native ants, and resulted in decreased species richness relative to areas that received no bait. This research is important to anyone who applies bait products for imported fire ant control, in that it demonstrates similar control success for application during different times of the day. It is also important to scientists interested in native ant preservation and will guide future research to determine efficacy of bait treatments during times of day or night not yet investigated.

Technical Abstract: An experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of mid-day (1100-1300 h) and late evening (1800-2000) broadcast bait (Seige Pro®, 0.73% hydramethylnon) applications against black and hybrid imported fire ants (Solenopsis richteri Forel and S. richteri x invicta, respectively) and their impact on native ant species. It was hypothesized that evening bait applications would have less impact on native ant species that slow or cease foraging at night relative to mid-day applications. Bait was applied to a series of plots in northeastern Mississippi, USA, in summer of 2002 and 2003. Population densities and foraging activity of imported fire ants and native ants were compared between treated and control plots. Population density and foraging activity of imported fire ants decreased by approximately 60-80% in plots receiving insecticidal bait applications with no difference between efficacy of mid-day and evening application. Population density of Monomorium minimum (Buckley), the little black ant, approached zero in treated plots during 2003 but remained relatively high in untreated control plots. Species richness declined in treated plots with no difference between mid-day and evening bait application. These data indicate that evening bait application offers no advantage over mid-day application in terms of preserving some native ant species.