scholarly journals Electrophysiological and behavioral responses of red imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to an essential balm and its components

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Wen ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Yinghao He ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Chenyu Qian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Fire Ants ◽  
Imported Fire Ants ◽  
Red Imported Fire Ants

scholarly journals Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Cover the Insecticide-Treated Surfaces with Particles to Reduce Contact Toxicity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Wen ◽  
Liming Sheng ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Jianlong Zhang ◽  
Ying Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insecticide Resistance ◽  
Surface Treatment ◽  
Solenopsis Invicta ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Fire Ants ◽  
Contact Toxicity ◽  
Covered Area ◽  
Imported Fire Ants ◽  
Red Imported Fire Ants

Abstract Surface treatment is commonly used in controlling the red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren. In the present study, the behavioral responses of S. invicta workers to surfaces treated with insecticides were investigated. Toxicological tests showed that beta-cypermethrin had the highest contact toxicity (with the lowest LC50 value) among nine tested insecticides, followed by thiamethoxam, fipronil, indoxacarb, chlorfenapyr, rotenone, spinetoram, avermectin, and chlorantraniliprole. In the laboratory, surfaces treated beta-cypermethrin or rotenone significantly reduced the number of foraging ants. In addition, S. invicta workers transported significantly more particles (measured in weight and/or covered area) onto surfaces treated with fipronil (50, 500, and 5000 ppm), rotenone (5000 ppm), or avermectin (5000 ppm) compared with the controls. Similarly, these insecticides significantly triggered the particle-covering behavior of ants in the field. We hypothesized that such behaviors would reduce the contact toxicity of insecticides against S. invicta. When the surfaces treated with fipronil or rotenone (500 or 5000 ppm) were artificiality covered with particles, S. invicta had significantly higher LT50 values compared with insecticide-treated surfaces without particles. This study provides the first evidence that S. invicta workers can perform particle-covering behavior to reduce the toxicity of certain insecticides, which constitutes a unique insecticide-resistance strategy in ants.

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