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Title: A Novel delivery Method for Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) toxicants

Author
item Wiltz, Beverly
item SUITER, D - University Of Georgia
item GARDNER, W - University Of Georgia
item BERISFORD, C - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Midsouth Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2010
Publication Date: 8/1/2010
Citation: Wiltz, B.A., Suiter, D.R., Gardner, W.A., Berisford, C.W. A Novel delivery Method for Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) toxicants. Midsouth Entomologist. 3(2)79-88. 2010.

Interpretive Summary: Described here is a new delivery method for ant toxicants consisting of an inert carrier, an attractant, and a toxicant. This system uses ant to ant contact as the mechanism for dispersal of toxicant through the colony. In laboratory assays, triolein was the only one of six chemicals evaluated that increased treated filter paper removal by red imported fire ants. Fire ant mortality when offered corn cob grits treated with a combination of fipronil and triolein was double that of ants offered corn cob grits treated with only fipronil.

Technical Abstract: Described here is a new delivery method for ant toxicants consisting of an inert carrier, an attractant, and a toxicant. Unlike baits, this system does not contain a food source, but uses ant to ant contact rather than trophallaxis as the mechanism for horizontal dispersal of the toxicant through the colony. We evaluated six potential attractants and found that only triolein, which is reported to be a component of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), brood pheromone, increased treated filter paper removal by fire ants. We found that on corn cob grits, removal was optimized at a rate of 60 µl triolein / g grits. In laboratory assays, mortality of fire ants offered corn cob grits treated with a combination of fipronil and triolein was 90.5%, versus 46.5% when grits were treated with the same rate of fipronil without triolein. In both lab and field trials, the removal of grits treated with a combination of fipronil and triolein was greater than removal of controls but less than removal of grits treated with triolein alone.