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 #223603
Title: What Should Japan Be Doing about S. invicta?

Author
item Porter, Sanford
item HIGASHI, SEIGO - --

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2008
Publication Date: 5/19/2008
Citation: Porter, S.D., Higashi, S. 2008. What Should Japan Be Doing about S. invicta?.Sapporo, Japan:Kaiyu Press.p. 163-175.

Interpretive Summary: This book chapter was written by a research entomologist from the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL and a Japanese myrmecologist from Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. The purpose of this chapter is to outline what the Japanese should do to prepare for a future invasion of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Specifically the chapter explains that the climate of Japan is suitable for this pest ant and that these ants are certain to invade Japan sooner or later. The problems that Japan will face with an invasion of fire ants are then discussed. Likely routes of invasion are listed. In preparation for future problems, the chapter recommends that Japan develop four plans for dealing with red imported fire ants: 1) an external quarantine plan, 2) an early detection plan, 3) an eradication plan, and 4) a management plan. The information provided in this chapter will help the people of Japan prepare for future invasions of red imported fire ants with proactive plans which will almost surely be less expensive and more effective than waiting until imported fire ants are already well established in Japan.

Technical Abstract: This book chapter was written by a research entomologist from the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL and a Japanese myrmecologist from Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. The purpose of this chapter is to outline what the Japanese should do to prepare for a future invasion of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Specifically the chapter explains that the climate of Japan is suitable for this pest ant and that these ants are certain to invade Japan sooner or later. The problems that Japan will face with an invasion of fire ants are then discussed. Likely routes of invasion are listed. In preparation for future problems, the chapter recommends that Japan develop four plans for dealing with red imported fire ants: 1) an external quarantine plan, 2) an early detection plan, 3) an eradication plan, and 4) a management plan. The information provided in this chapter will help the people of Japan prepare for future invasions of red imported fire ants with proactive plans which will almost surely be less expensive and more effective than waiting until imported fire ants are already well established in Japan.