Skip to main content
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 #307593
Title: Solenopsis invicta virus 3: Further host-specificity tests with native Solenopsis ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Author
item Porter, Sanford
item Valles, Steven
item WILD, ALEXANDERL - University Of Illinois
item DIECKMANN, ROBERTA - Coachella Valley Mosquito And Vector Control District
item PLOWES, NICOLA - Arizona State University

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2014
Publication Date: 3/24/2015
Citation: Porter, S.D., Valles, S.M., Wild, A., Dieckmann, R., Plowes, N.J. 2015. Solenopsis invicta virus 3: Further host-specificity tests with native Solenopsis ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Florida Entomologist. 98:122-125.

Interpretive Summary: A thorough understanding of host specificity is essential before pathogens can be used as biopesticides or self-sustaining biocontrol agents. In order to better define the host range of the recently discovered Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3), scientists at the USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL and cooperators from the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois, the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District in Indio, CA, and the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University collected and exposed colonies of two native fire ants and two native thief ants to the SINV-3 virus. Despite extreme exposure to the virus, active, replicating infections only resulted in imported fire ants. Consequently, we conclude that SINV-3 is a highly host-specific pathogen which can be used safely as either a biopesticide or a self-sustaining biocontrol agent without threat to native ants in the United States, the Caribbean, and nations along the Pacific Rim which are currently infested with red imported fire ants.

Technical Abstract: A thorough understanding of host specificity is essential before pathogens can be used as biopesticides or self-sustaining biocontrol agents. In order to better define the host range of the recently discovered Solenopsis invicta virus 3 (SINV-3), we collected and exposed colonies of two native fire ants and two native thief ants to the SINV-3 virus. Despite extreme exposure to the virus, active, replicating infections only resulted in imported fire ants. Consequently, we conclude that SINV-3 is a highly host-specific pathogen which can be used safely as either a biopesticide or a self-sustaining biocontrol agent without threat to native ants in the United States, the Caribbean, and nations along the Pacific Rim which are currently infested with red imported fire ants.