Location: Biological Control of Pests Research
Project Number: 6066-10400-001-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 15, 2024
End Date: Mar 31, 2028
Objective:
1. Determine the distribution and prevalence of honey bee viruses in imported fire ants.
2. Utilize virus-like particles from insect viruses in ant pest management.
Understanding the distribution and prevalence of honey bee viruses in imported fire ants is essential for stakeholders who depend on healthy pollinator populations and stable agricultural systems. If fire ants act as reservoirs or vectors of these viruses, they may contribute to the broader decline of honey bees, which threatens crop production and ecosystem stability. By clarifying whether cross species viral transmission occurs, this work supports beekeepers, growers, environmental managers, and regulatory agencies who require accurate, science based assessments of emerging risks. It also strengthens efforts to protect native pollinators and maintain ecological balance, aligning closely with mission goals centered on safeguarding pollinator health, improving biosecurity, and advancing integrated pest and pollinator management.
The development of virus like particles from insect viruses as tools for ant pest management carries equally significant value. Fire ants impose economic, ecological, and public health burdens, and stakeholders, from agricultural producers to municipalities, need innovative, environmentally responsible control strategies. Virus like particles offer a promising alternative to conventional chemical pesticides by providing targeted, biologically based approaches that reduce collateral damage to beneficial insects and the surrounding environment. This objective directly supports mission priorities focused on sustainable pest management, technological innovation, and reduced reliance on broad spectrum insecticides. Together, these objectives advance a unified mission of protecting pollinators, mitigating invasive species impacts, and promoting science driven solutions that benefit agriculture, ecosystems, and communities.
Approach:
1) Honeybee-related viruses have been discovered in fire ant colonies. It's possible that ants commonly host honeybee-related viruses due to their shared food sources with honeybees and other pollinators. Understanding the extent of these viruses' spread in ants has become crucial, not only because they may act as reservoirs of pathogens for pollinators but also because they could prove lethal to ant colonies. We plan to conduct extensive surveys on the presence of seven honeybee viruses in fire ants and tawny crazy ants, including deformed wing virus (DWV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Lake Sinai virus (LSV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and sacbrood virus (SBV). We will also determine the replicative forms of viruses with positive results in the survey. Samples of worker ants will be collected from each of the 82 counties in Mississippi.
2) Viruses have developed various mechanisms to infect their hosts, with viral coats playing a pivotal role in virus infection by interacting with host cell receptors. Given the significance of viral coats, researchers have been drawn to exploring their potential use in developing strategies for biological delivery systems, known as virus-like particles (VLPs). These VLPs, resembling empty shells, can enter target cells and are believed to be released from infected cells to stimulate host immune responses against infectious viral offspring. The expanding knowledge of VLP functions and structures, combined with advancements in genetic engineering, has opened up opportunities to utilize VLPs across various fields. VLPs can serve as carriers to transport double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which can trigger specific gene silencing, leading to toxicity and insect death. They can also deliver insecticidal toxins for insect pest control without environmental contamination. Additionally, VLPs can significantly upregulate insect immune genes and trigger antiviral responses. In this project, we aim to exploit virus-like particles (VLPs) as carriers for delivering active ingredients and synergists for conventional insecticides to manage invasive ants such as imported fire ants and tawny crazy ants, or as immune stimulators for honey bees against viruses.
This research supports the Secretary of Agriculture’s Memorandum 1078-020, priority 3: Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species.