| cardiodepressant and neurologic actions of solenopsis invicta (imported fire ant) venom alkaloids. | we hypothesized that the alkaloid compounds that are the majority components of fire ant (solenopsis invicta) venom are capable of producing cardiovascular and central nervous system toxic effects in mammals. | 2005 | 15801250 |
| ant community change across a ground vegetation gradient in north florida's longleaf pine flatwoods. | ant communities in longleaf pine habitats are poorly known and hence the naturally occurring ant assemblages of a large portion of southeastern north america are not well understood. this study examined the diverse ant community found in the longleaf pine flatwoods of north florida and tested how ant diversity changes along a herbaceous ground cover gradient. restoring the ground cover to its original floral composition is an important focus of longleaf pine conservation and hence it is importan ... | 2003 | 15841237 |
| distribution, spread, and ecological associations of the introduced ant pheidole obscurithorax in the southeastern united states. | a field survey of the southeastern united states showed that pheidole obscurithorax naves, an ant introduced from south america, inhabits a 80-km-wide band along the coast between mobile, alabama, and tallahassee, florida, and is continuing to increase its range. in tallahassee p. obscurithorax is rapidly spreading, and its nest density increased by a factor of 6.4 over a two-year period. evidence suggests that p. obscurithorax has spread gradually by natural means. it coexists with the fire ant ... | 2004 | 15861228 |
| evolutionary history of wolbachia infections in the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that commonly infect numerous arthropods. despite their broad taxonomic distribution, the transmission patterns of these bacteria within and among host species are not well understood. we sequenced a portion of the wsp gene from the wolbachia genome infecting 138 individuals from eleven geographically distributed native populations of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. we then compared these wsp sequence data to patterns of mitochondrial dna (mtdna) variation o ... | 2005 | 15927071 |
| solenopsis invicta virus-1a (sinv-1a): distinct species or genotype of sinv-1? | we have cloned and sequenced a 2845 bp cdna representing the 3'-end of either a new picorna-like virus species or genotype of solenopsis invicta virus-1 (sinv-1). analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed 1 large open reading frame. the amino acid sequence of the translated open reading frame was most identical to structural proteins of sinv-1 (97%), followed by the kashmir bee virus (kbv, 30%), and acute bee paralysis virus (abpv, 29%). a pcr-based survey for sinv-1 and the new species or ge ... | 2005 | 15955342 |
| an empirical test of lanchester's square law: mortality during battles of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | lanchester's models of attrition describe casualty rates during battles between groups as functions of the numbers of individuals and their fighting abilities. originally developed to describe human warfare, lanchester's square law has been hypothesized to apply broadly to social animals as well, with important consequences for their aggressive behaviour and social structure. according to the square law, the fighting ability of a group is proportional to the square of the number of individuals, ... | 2005 | 16096093 |
| multiple coding sequences for the genome-linked virus protein (vpg) in dicistroviruses. | n-terminal edman sequencing of the genome-linked viral protein (vpg) of plautia stali intestine virus (psiv, dicistroviridae) detected heterologus residues. the vpg sequence determined was found to be triplicated in the nonstructural protein precursor. multiple vpg-like sequences were also found in 10 of the 12 dicistroviruses with a maximum of six copies in solenopsis invicta virus-1. we postulate that redundant vpg coding sequences facilitate multiplication of dicistroviruses, because fewer cy ... | 2006 | 16707137 |
| effect of mono- and polygyne social forms on transmission and spread of a microsporidium in fire ant populations. | thelohania solenopsae is a pathogen of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, which debilitates queens and eventually causes the demise of colonies. reductions of infected field populations signify its potential usefulness as a biological control agent. thelohania solenopsae can be transmitted by introducing infected brood into a colony. the social forms of the fire ant, that is, monogyny (single queen per colony) or polygyny (multiple queens per colony), are associated with different be ... | 2006 | 16764885 |
| [potential establishment areas of solenopsis invicta in china: a prediction based on gis]. | based on geographic information system (gis), the potential establishment areas of solenopsis invicta buren in china were predicted. the days above threshold temperature and the number of degree-days were used as main determining factors, while annual precipitation and altitude were used as limiting factors. by using the kriging spatial interpolation function in gis software, the potential establishment area was divided into four categories, i.e., most suitable, suitable, mildly suitable, and un ... | 2006 | 17269333 |
| efficacy of broadcast and perimeter applications of s-methoprene bait on the red imported fire ant in grazed pastures. | the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta (buren), is a major pest in the united states because of its painful sting. toxic bait has been an important management tool against fire ants, but site registrations prohibit applications of most baits on grazed pastures. extinguish, containing the insect growth regulator methoprene, was selected for this study because it has a broad site registration that includes grazed pastures. the primary objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy ... | 2006 | 16813290 |
| digging behavior of solenopsis invicta workers when exposed to contact insecticides. | abstract contact between ants and insecticides is a prerequisite for contact insecticides to be effective in the control of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren. typically, passive contact occurs in the insecticide application process, but ants also may actively contact insecticides by digging in treated soil or walking on a treated soil surface. laboratory experiments were conducted to determine whether fire ant workers would dig sand treated with contact insecticides in two differe ... | 2006 | 16813292 |
| experimental evidence that the introduced fire ant, solenopsis invicta, does not competitively suppress co-occurring ants in a disturbed habitat. | 1. the fire ant, solenopsis invicta, is a globally distributed invasive ant that is largely restricted to disturbed habitats in its introduced range. for more than half a century, biologists have believed its success results from superior competitive abilities relative to native ant species, as well as an escape from their natural enemies. 2. we used large volumes of hot water to kill fire ant colonies, and only fire ant colonies, on experimental plots in pastures, and found that populations and ... | 2006 | 17032369 |
| interaction of an entomopathogen with an insect social form: an epizootic of thelohania solenopsae (microsporidia) in a population of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | this is the first report of thelohania solenopsae infections in monogyne (single-queen) solenopsis invicta colonies in the field. in a 0.2-ha plot near baton rouge, louisiana, inter-colony prevalence was 63% infection in june, 1999, when the population was 100% monogyne. in february, 2000, 21% of 33 monogyne and 90% of 10 polygyne colonies were infected. by may, 2001, the polygyne colonies had disappeared and only one of 34 monogyne colonies was infected, the final detection of t. solenopsae in ... | 2004 | 15707872 |
| potential cause of lethality of an allele implicated in social evolution in fire ants. | the gene gp-9 is believed to have a major effect on colony social organization in fire ants, with the presence of b-like alleles in a colony associated with multiple-queen (polygyne) organization. queens and workers of polygyne solenopsis invicta homozygous for the b-like allele designated b suffer reduced viability compared to other genotypes, and bb queens do not survive to become egg-layers. thus, the b allele effectively acts as a recessive lethal. this allele differs from the remaining b-li ... | 2007 | 17080300 |
| sticky traps for monitoring pseudacteon parasitoids of solenopsis fire ants. | a newly developed method for passively trapping adult pseudacteon phorid flies, which parasitize workers of solenopsis saevissima complex fire ants, is described. adult flies responding to deployed solenopsis invicta midden were captured when they landed on a tanglefoot-coated perch, which is part of the trap. this sampling method provided a uniform, repeatable, and verifiable sample that allowed continuous and simultaneous sampling among locations, which can only be accomplished with other tech ... | 2007 | 17540068 |
| pustular dermatosis caused by fire ant (solenopsis invicta) stings in a dog. | this paper reports a case of spontaneous fire ant sting dermatitis in canine. the skin lesions consisted of nonfollicular, grouped pustules in the abdominal region. several fire ants were found attached to the lesional skin. histopathological findings included an intraepidermal neutrophilic pustule and predominantly neutrophilic interstitial dermatitis. an extensive area of collagen degeneration was also observed below the epidermal pustule. these clinical and histopathological findings are rema ... | 2006 | 17083579 |
| pheromonal control of dealation and oogenesis in virgin queen fire ants. | in the fire ant solenopsis invicta, sexually mature virgin females are prevented from shedding their wings and becoming functional egg layers by the presence of the mated queen. experimental data suggest that this inhibitory effect results from the action of a relatively nonvolatile primer pheromone (or pheromones) produced by the mated queen and distributed by the workers. target ants are both virgin queens and workers. | 1981 | 17747633 |
| speed of efficacy and delayed toxicity characteristics of fast-acting fire ant (hymenoptera: formicidae) baits. | efficacy and speed of action of fire ant (hymenoptera: formicidae) baits that claim fast control of colonies were compared with a standard bait. more than 85% of red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, laboratory colonies provided bait containing the active ingredient indoxacarb died within 3 d, and all colonies were dead in 6 d. standard bait containing hydramethylnon resulted in death of 60% of the colonies in 9 d. bait containing spinosad did not cause colony death. under field condi ... | 2006 | 17066807 |
| prevalence of thelohania solenopsae infected solenopsis invicta newly mated queens within areas of differing social form distributions. | newly mated queens (nmqs) originating from monogyne red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) colonies and following a mating flight, initiate new colonies by sealing themselves in a nuptial chamber and relying solely on their own fat and crop reserves, as well as no longer needed wing muscles to rear their first workers (claustral colony foundation). this method of colony-founding is rarely successful for polygyne-derived nmqs, whose low weight critically limits the number of first workers the ... | 2007 | 17112537 |
| opposable spines facilitate fine and gross object manipulation in fire ants. | ants inhabit diverse terrestrial biomes from the sahara desert to the arctic tundra. one factor contributing to the ants' successful colonization of diverse geographical regions is their ability to manipulate objects when excavating nests, capturing, transporting and rendering prey or grooming, feeding and transporting helpless brood. this paper is the first to report the form and function of opposable spines on the foretarsi of queens and workers used during fine motor and gross motor object ma ... | 2007 | 17165078 |
| the nature of thelohania solenopsae (microsporidia) cysts in abdomens of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta. | sixty four percent of solenopsis invicta workers infected with thelohania solenopsis contained 1-6 "cysts" ranging from 70 to 260 microm in diameter. light and electron microscope analyses showed that cysts are hypertrophied adipocytes transformed by the parasites, each cyst presumably forming from a single cell. in the first step of the pathogenesis, nosema-like spores functioning in autoinfection are produced; a diplokaryotic sequence leading to their formation causes fat body hypertrophy. whe ... | 2005 | 15894329 |
| detection and quantitation of solenopsis invicta virus in fire ants by real-time pcr. | a quantitative real-time pcr (qpcr) method was developed to detect and quantify the amount of solenopsis invicta virus (sinv) infecting individual ants of s. invicta. the two-step method utilized a gene-specific oligonucleotide primer targeting the sinv rna-dependent rna polymerase (rdrp) for cdna synthesis. dithiothreitol used in the cdna synthesis step was found to significantly decrease the detection sensitivity for sinv rdrp and was therefore omitted. sinv rdrp cdna was then quantified by qp ... | 2007 | 17174411 |
| molecular evolutionary analyses of the odorant-binding protein gene gp-9 in fire ants and other solenopsis species. | the fire ant solenopsis invicta exists in two social forms, one with colonies headed by a single reproductive queen (monogyne form) and the other with colonies containing multiple queens (polygyne form). this variation in social organization is associated with variation at the gene gp-9, with monogyne colonies harboring only the b allelic variant and polygyne colonies containing b-like variants as well. we generated new gp-9 sequences from 15 solenopsis species and combined these with previously ... | 2005 | 15987877 |
| solenopsis invicta transferrin: cdna cloning, gene architecture, and up-regulation in response to beauveria bassiana infection. | transferrin genes from several insects have been shown to be induced in response to bacterial or fungal infection. we were interested to know whether transferrin genes in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, are similarly induced by microbial challenge. hence, the cdna and structure of a gene exhibiting significant homology to insect transferrins were elucidated for s. invicta. the cdna was comprised of 2417 nucleotides, excluding the poly(a) tail, with a large open reading frame of 21 ... | 2005 | 16039806 |
| species delimitation in native south american fire ants. | the taxonomy of fire ants has been plagued by difficulties in recognizing species on the basis of morphological characters. we surveyed allozyme markers and sequences of the mtdna coi gene in several closely related nominal species from two areas of sympatry in the native ranges to learn whether the morphology-based delimitation of these species is supported by genetic data. we found that solenopsis invicta and solenopsis richteri, pest species whose distinctiveness has been debated, appear to b ... | 2005 | 16156813 |
| adverse reactions to ants other than imported fire ants. | to identify ants other than solenopsis invicta and solenopsis richteri reported to cause adverse reactions in humans. | 2005 | 16312163 |
| distribution and prevalence of wolbachia in introduced populations of the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | wolbachia are intracellular bacteria that induce phenotypic effects in many arthropod hosts to enhance their own transmission within host populations. wolbachia commonly infect the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, in native south american populations. a previous study failed to detect wolbachia in fire ants from the introduced range in the usa. we conducted an extensive study of individuals collected from 1157 nests from 10 widespread geographical populations in the usa. wolbachia were ... | 2006 | 16469072 |
| response of argentine ants and red imported fire ants to permethrin-impregnated plastic strips: foraging rates, colonization of potted soil, and differential mortality. | this study investigated the effects of the permethrin-impregnated plastic on ant mortality and foraging rates, and tested its potential for preventing ants from colonizing potted soil. direct exposure to the plastic for as short as 1 min caused significant mortality of both red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, and argentine ants, linepithema humile (mayr); however, red imported fire ants were more susceptible than argentine ants. knockdown of virtually all ants initially occurred wi ... | 2005 | 16539136 |
| hunger in red imported fire ants and their behavioral response to two liquid bait products. | to help manage red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, invasion, several types of pest management systems have been developed, including baits. to accurately test liquid bait effectiveness in the laboratory, we determined that starvation time of 96 h is required for laboratory fire ants to simulate foraging ants in the field. we measured density and viscosity of two commercial baits and 20% sugar water at 25 degrees c and then compared amount of material consumed per ant at these physic ... | 2005 | 16539145 |
| geophone detection of subterranean termite and ant activity. | a geophone system was used to monitor activity of subterranean termites and ants in a desert environment with low vibration noise. examples of geophone signals were recorded from a colony of rhytidoponera taurus (forel), a colony of camponotus denticulatus kirby, and a termite colony (undetermined drepanotermes sp.) under attack by ants from a nearby c. denticulatus colony. the geophone recordings were compared with signals recorded from accelerometers in a citrus grove containing solenopsis inv ... | 2006 | 16573346 |
| development of pseudacteon nocens (diptera: phoridae) on solenopsis invicta and solenopsis richteri fire ants (hymenoptera: formicidae). | we studied the developmental performance of the large morph of pseudacteon nocens borgmeier (diptera: phoridae), a prospective biological control agent of imported fire ants (hymenoptera: formicidae). we measured selected life history traits of this parasitoid as a function of 1) host species (solenopsis invicta buren versus solenopsis richteri forel), 2) temperature (22 versus 28 degrees c), 3) source population of the fly (corrientes and santiago del estero, argentina), and 4) varied size dist ... | 2006 | 16686126 |
| [influences of solenopsis invicta buren invasion on the native ant communities in different habitats in guangdong]. | by using pitfall and bait traps, an investigation was made on the diversity and similarity of ant communities in the areas infested and un-infested with solenopsis invicta buren in shenzhen of guangdong. the results showed that under the invasion of s. invicta, the ant species number in lawn and wasteland reduced obviously, with a decrease of 6 in lawn and 3 in wasteland, and the native dominant ant species in lichee orchard, especially in wasteland and lawn, were replaced by s. invicta. with th ... | 2008 | 18419088 |
| establishing guidelines to improve identification of fire ants solenopsis xyloni and solenopsis invicta. | as red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, continues to expand its range into the southwestern united states, it can be easily confused with the native southern fire ant, solenopsis xyloni mccook. variability in the morphological characteristics commonly used to differentiate these ant species was quantified by examining the length of the clypeal tooth, striations of the mesopleuron, length of antennal scape, area of the petiolar process, number and size of mandibular teeth, and color b ... | 2006 | 16686128 |
| qualitative analysis of red imported fire ant nests constructed in silica gel. | red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, build nests by excavating soil. incorporation of ant-derived chemicals in nesting material has long been known; however, only a few chemicals have been identified. this paucity of identified ant-derived chemicals may be due to the interference from soil-borne compounds in chemical analysis. in the laboratory, red imported fire ants were able to build their nest using moistened silica gel as the only building material. this provided an opportunity ... | 2007 | 17252210 |
| anaphylaxis caused by imported red fire ant stings in málaga, spain. | a 27-year-old woman suffered from anaphylaxis after being stung by solenopsis invicta ants while she was handling wood from south america. the patient reported no previous adverse reactions to stings by other hymenopteran species. intradermal skin tests with hymenoptera venom (vespula vulgaris, polistes species, apis melifera) were negative. serum specific immunoglobulin (ig) e yielded positive results for s invicta (5.28 ku/l) and negative results for a melifera, ves v 5 and pol a 5. immunodete ... | 2007 | 17323863 |
| terminating red imported fire ants using cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf essential oil. | eleven compounds from indigenous cinnamon (cinnamomum osmophloeum) leaf essential oil were identified by gc-ms and the dominant constituent was trans-cinnamaldehyde (79.85%). the toxicity of leaf essential oil and trans-cinnamaldehyde were then determined to study their effectiveness in controlling the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren. the results of the toxicity tests indicated that both the indigenous cinnamon leaf essential oil and trans-cinnamaldehyde had an excellent inhibito ... | 2008 | 17369041 |
| aggressive interactions between solenopsis invicta and linepithema humile (hymenoptera: formicidae) under laboratory conditions. | the argentine ant, linepithema humile (mayr), and the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, are natural agonists in their country of origin. since the first report of l. humile in california in 1907 its range expanded statewide, displacing native ant species wherever it spread. since the discovery of established populations of s. invicta in southern california in 1998, it has been restricted to discrete areas of southern california. however, as these discrete populations expand, they ... | 2007 | 17370822 |
| phenology, distribution, and host specificity of solenopsis invicta virus-1. | studies were conducted to examine the phenology, geographic distribution, and host specificity of the solenopsis invicta virus-1 (sinv-1). two genotypes examined, sinv-1 and -1a, exhibited similar seasonal prevalence patterns. infection rates among colonies of s. invicta in gainesville, florida, were lowest from early winter (december) to early spring (april) increasing rapidly in late spring (may) and remaining high through august before declining again in the fall (september/october). correlat ... | 2007 | 17412359 |
| an experimental study of competition between fire ants and argentine ants in their native range. | an understanding of why introduced species achieve ecological success in novel environments often requires information about the factors that limit the abundance of these taxa in their native ranges. although numerous recent studies have evaluated the importance of natural enemies in this context, relatively few have examined how ecological success may result from differences in the magnitude of interference competition between communities in the native and introduced ranges of nonnative species ... | 2007 | 17489455 |
| solenopsis invicta virus-1 tissue tropism and intra-colony infection rate in the red imported fire ant: a quantitative pcr-based study. | quantitative real-time pcr was employed to measure the solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv-1) load in tissues, individuals, and among colonies of the red imported fire ant, s. invicta buren. among tissues examined from sinv-1-infected adults and larvae, the alimentary canal (specifically the midgut) consistently had the highest number of sinv-1 genome copies (91.1 and 99.9%, respectively). negative staining of a supernatant of the gut homogenate demonstrated the presence of spherical virus particle ... | 2007 | 17544438 |
| [trapping techniques for solenopsis invicta]. | a field study was made to investigate the trapping effects of different attractants, traps, and wind directions on solenopsis invicta. the results showed that among the test attractants, tb1 (50 g fishmeal, 40 g peptone, 10 ml 10% sucrose water solution and 20 ml soybean oil) had the best effect, followed by tb2 (ham), tb6 (100 g cornmeal and 20 ml soybean oil) and tb4 (10 ml 10% sucrose water solution, 100 g sugarcane powder and 20 ml soybean oil), with a mean capture efficiency being 77.6, 58. ... | 2007 | 17763750 |
| prevalence and impact of the microsporidium thelohania solenopsae (microsporidia) on wild populations of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta, in louisiana. | we surveyed 165 sites to determine the ecological factors that might influence the distribution and prevalence of thelohania solenopsae, and its effect on the demography of the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) in louisiana. the microsporidium was found in 9.9% of colonies and at 16% of sites. its distribution was clumped within the state with the majority of infected colonies and sites occurring in two infection patches. the proportion of polygyne colonies was a strong (positive) predi ... | 2008 | 17892883 |
| growth and patterning are evolutionarily dissociated in the vestigial wing discs of workers of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | over the last decade, it has become clear that organismal form is largely determined by developmental and evolutionary changes in the growth and pattern formation of tissues. yet, there is little known about how these two integrated processes respond to environmental cues or how they evolve relative to one another. here, we present the discovery of vestigial wing imaginal discs in worker larvae of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. these vestigial wing discs are present in all worker ... | 2007 | 17894383 |
| allomermis solenopsi n. sp. (nematoda: mermithidae) parasitising the fire ant solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae) in argentina. | allomermis solenopsi n. sp. (mermithidae: nematoda) is described from the fire ant solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae) in argentina. diagnostic characters of the new species include stiff and erect processes on the surface of the mature egg, small female amphids, extension of the latero-medial rows of male genital papillae beyond the middle rows, an obliquely truncate spicule tip and a ventrally swollen male terminus. this is the first record of allomermis steiner, 1924 from south ... | 2007 | 17912617 |
| genetic regulation of colony social organization in fire ants: an integrative overview. | expression of colony social organization in fire ants appears to be under the control of a single mendelian factor of large effect. variation in colony queen number in solenopsis invicta and its relatives is associated with allelic variation at the gene gp-9, but not with variation at other unlinked genes; workers regulate queen identity and number on the basis of gp-9 genotypic compatibility. nongenetic factors, such as prior social experience, queen reproductive status, and local environment, ... | 2007 | 17937246 |
| molecular variation at a candidate gene implicated in the regulation of fire ant social behavior. | the fire ant solenopsis invicta and its close relatives display an important social polymorphism involving differences in colony queen number. colonies are headed by either a single reproductive queen (monogyne form) or multiple queens (polygyne form). this variation in social organization is associated with variation at the gene gp-9, with monogyne colonies harboring only b-like allelic variants and polygyne colonies always containing b-like variants as well. we describe naturally occurring var ... | 2007 | 17987107 |
| metapleural- and postpharyngeal-gland secretions from workers of the ants solenopsis invicta and s. geminata. | chemical analyses by gc-ms of the metapleural glands (mg) from workers of solenopsis invicta and s. geminata revealed for the first time the chemical composition of these glands and showed small differences between the two species. the mg of both species contain oleic, stearic, linoleic, and palmitic acid. both ants, in addition, have small but significant amounts of hydrocarbons in their mg reservoir, which are the same as those found in their postpharyngeal glands (ppg). the ppg of both specie ... | 2004 | 17191849 |
| culture-independent identification of gut bacteria in fourth-instar red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren, larvae. | red imported fire ants (rifa), solenopsis invicta buren, are medical, urban, and agricultural pests from south america. they are successful invaders due to their preference for disturbed habitats, high reproductive rates, and the ability to feed on a wide variety of food items (omnivorous). fourth-instar larvae are used by the colony to digest solid food and then regurgitate it for consumption by workers and queens. larvae are an ideal source of investigations of endosymbiotic bacteria possibly ... | 2008 | 18023455 |
| predaceous ants, beach replenishment, and nest placement by sea turtles. | ants known for attacking and killing hatchling birds and reptiles include the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren), tropical fire ant [solenopsis geminata (fabr.)], and little fire ant [wasmannia auropunctata (roger)]. we tested whether sea turtle nest placement influenced exposure to predaceous ants. in 2000 and 2001, we surveyed ants along a florida beach where green turtles (chelonia mydas l.), leatherbacks (dermochelys coriacea vandelli), and loggerheads (caretta caretta l.) nest ... | 2007 | 18284732 |
| an annotated cdna library and microarray for large-scale gene-expression studies in the ant solenopsis invicta. | ants display a range of fascinating behaviors, a remarkable level of intra-species phenotypic plasticity and many other interesting characteristics. here we present a new tool to study the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits: a tentatively annotated expressed sequence tag (est) resource for the fire ant solenopsis invicta. from a normalized cdna library we obtained 21,715 ests, which represent 11,864 putatively different transcripts with very diverse molecular functions. all ests were u ... | 2007 | 17224046 |
| native ant responses to solenopsis invicta buren reduction using broadcast baits. | a pilot study was conducted to investigate the impact of solenopsis invicta management with an insect growth regulator bait (s-methoprene) on native ant species and to determine the responses of these species to s. invicta reduction. this invasive species alters the diversity and structure of different trophic levels of arthropod assemblages. despite advances in s. invicta management using biological control agents, poison baits remain as the primary tool for effective fire ant management. howev ... | 2007 | 18284735 |
| the evolution of genome size in ants. | despite the economic and ecological importance of ants, genomic tools for this family (formicidae) remain woefully scarce. knowledge of genome size, for example, is a useful and necessary prerequisite for the development of many genomic resources, yet it has been reported for only one ant species (solenopsis invicta), and the two published estimates for this species differ by 146.7 mb (0.15 pg). | 2008 | 18302783 |
| identification of a new member of the pban family of neuropeptides from the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | neuropeptide hormones produced by neurosecretory cells in the central or peripheral nervous systems regulate various physiological and behavioral events during insect development and reproduction. pban/pyrokinin is a major neuropeptide family, characterized by a 5-amino-acid c-terminal sequence, fxprlamide. this family of peptides has been implicated in regulating various physiological functions including, pheromone biosynthesis, muscle contraction, diapause induction or termination, melanizatio ... | 2009 | 19320757 |
| ecological dominance of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, in its native range. | despite the widespread impacts invasive species can have in introduced populations, little is known about competitive mechanisms and dominance hierarchies between invaders and similar taxa in their native range. this study examines interactions between the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, and other above-ground foraging ants in two habitats in northeastern argentina. a combination of pitfall traps and baits was used to characterize the ant communities, their dominance relationships, an ... | 2008 | 18305962 |
| expressed sequence tags from the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta: annotation and utilization for discovery of viruses. | an expression library was created and 2304 clones sequenced from a monogyne colony of solenopsis invicta. the primary intention of the project was to utilize homologous gene identification to facilitate discovery of viruses infecting this ant pest that could potentially be used in pest management. additional genes were identified from the ant host and associated pathogens that serve as an important resource for studying these organisms. after assembly and removal of mitochondrial and poor qualit ... | 2008 | 18329665 |
| detection and quantitation of solenopsis invicta virus-2 genomic and intermediary replicating viral rna in fire ant workers and larvae. | quantitative real-time pcr (qpcr) was used to quantify the genome of solenopsis invicta virus-2 (sinv-2) from infected individual ants of s. invicta. strand-specific cdna synthesis oligonucleotide primers and rnase digestion after cdna synthesis allowed quantification of plus (genomic) and minus (replicative) strands of the sinv-2 genome. both strands were detected in adult workers and larval fire ants indicating that the virus was replicating within the ant. the differences between the genomic ... | 2008 | 18343402 |
| imported fire ant (hymenoptera: formicidae) mound shape characteristics along a north-south gradient. | the nests of some mound-building ants are thought to serve an important function as passive solar collectors. to test this hypothesis, imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta buren, s. richteri forel, and their hybrid) mound shape characteristics (south facing slope angle and area, mound height, and basal elongation in the plane of the ground) were quantified in 2005 and 2006 at a number of locations from approximately 30 degrees 25' n (long beach, ms) to 35 degrees 3' n (fayetteville, tn). insola ... | 2008 | 18348811 |
| characterization of structural proteins of solenopsis invicta virus 1. | purification of solenopsis invicta virus 1 (sinv-1) from its host, s. invicta, and subsequent examination by electron microscopy revealed a homogeneous fraction of spherical particles with a diameter of 30-35 nm. quantitative pcr with sinv-1-specific oligonucleotide primers verified that this fraction contained high copy numbers of the sinv-1 genome. sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the sinv-1 purified fraction revealed three major and one minor protein bands. the pro ... | 2008 | 18514347 |
| biology and life-cycle of the microsporidium kneallhazia solenopsae knell allan hazard 1977 gen. n., comb. n., from the fire ant solenopsis invicta. | thelohania solenopsae is a unique microsporidium with a life-cycle finely tuned to parasitizing fire ant colonies. unlike other microsporidia of social hymenopterans, t. solenopsae infects all castes and stages of the host. four distinctive spore types are produced: diplokaryotic spores, which develop only in brood (type 1 dk spores); octets of octospores within sporophorous vesicles, the most prominent spore type in adults but never occurring in brood; nosema-like diplokaryotic spores (type 2 d ... | 2008 | 18598575 |
| infection characteristics of solenopsis invicta virus 2 in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | solenopsis invicta virus 2 (sinv-2) is the second virus identified from the fire ant, s. invicta buren. sinv-2 is unique among positive-strand rna viruses from insects by possessing four cistrons in a monopartite genome. fire ant colonies testing positive for sinv-2 by rt-pcr did not exhibit any discernable symptoms. rt-pcr-based surveys for sinv-2 among 688 fire ant mounds in alachua county, florida, sampled during the period january, 2006 through december, 2007 showed that the prevalence of si ... | 2008 | 18611403 |
| occurrence of antennal glands in ants. | a previous report of the discovery of exocrine glands in the antennal club of queens and workers of solenopsis invicta buren, 1972 left open the question of the extent to which similar glands occur in the formicidae family. we wanted to know if these antennal glands are unique to solenopsis, or they are found in a wider taxonomic group. using scanning electron microscopy, we examined the antennae of 41 ant species. presence of the antennal glands was indicated by a characteristic circumferential ... | 2008 | 18655135 |
| queen regulates biogenic amine level and nestmate recognition in workers of the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | nestmate recognition is a critical element in social insect organization, providing a means to maintain territoriality and close the colony to parasites and predators. ants detect the colony chemical label via their antennae and respond to the label mismatch of an intruder with aggressive behavior. in the fire ant, solenopsis invicta, worker ability to recognize conspecific nonnestmates decreases if the colony queen is removed, such that they do not recognize conspecific nonnestmates as differen ... | 2008 | 18704354 |
| solenopsin a, a venom alkaloid from the fire ant solenopsis invicta, inhibits quorum-sensing signaling in pseudomonas aeruginosa. | in pseudomonas aeruginosa, quorum-sensing (qs) signaling regulates the expression of virulence factors and thus represents an attractive new target for anti-infective therapy. in the present study, we investigated whether solenopsin a, a venom alkaloid from the fire ant, possessed agonistic or antagonistic qs signaling activity in p. aeruginosa. we evaluated the modulation of virulence factor expression and transcriptional levels of qs-regulated genes in p. aeruginosa by solenopsin a and demonst ... | 2008 | 18713055 |
| microsatellite genotyping of red imported fire ant (hymenoptera: formicidae) colonies reveals that most colonies persist in plowed pastures. | our study focused on colony dynamics of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), in relation to the standard practice of planting rye grass (i.e., plowing) in the fall in louisiana. microsatellite molecular markers were used to determine genotypes of individuals from red imported fire ant colonies. these markers allowed us to monitor treatment effect by detecting changes in number and location of colonies in response to disking of pasture plots. previous res ... | 2008 | 18767710 |
| molecular identification of hemolymph-associated symbiotic bacteria in red imported fire ant larvae. | the red imported fire ant (rifa) (solenopsis invicta buren), an exotic insect pest in texas, has become well established throughout the eastern part of the state. more aggressive than native ant species, rifa gradually have enlarged their range and spread north and west despite intense efforts to stop them. symbiotic bacteria have an important relationship in the midgut of fourth instar rifa larvae. however, the presence of symbiotic bacteria in hemolymph has not been explored. in this study, sy ... | 2008 | 18795363 |
| cloning and heterologous expression of insecticidal-protein-encoding genes from photorhabdus luminescens tt01 in enterobacter cloacae for termite control. | enterobacter cloacae, one of the indigenous gut bacteria of the formosan subterranean termite (coptotermes formosanus), was genetically modified with a transposon tn5 vector containing genes (tcda1 and tcdb1) encoding orally insecticidal proteins from the entomopathogenic bacterium photorhabdus luminescens subsp. laumondii tt01, a symbiont of the entomopathogenic nematode heterorhabditis bacteriophora, for termite control. in the laboratory, termites were fed filter paper inoculated with the rec ... | 2008 | 18836027 |
| gp-9s are ubiquitous proteins unlikely involved in olfactory mediation of social organization in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | the red imported fire ant (rifa), solenopsis invicta, is an invasive species, accidentally introduced in the united states that can cause painful (sometimes life-threatening) stings to human, pets, and livestock. their colonies have two social forms: monogyne and polygyne that have a single and multiple functional queens, respectively. a major gene (gp-9), identified as a putative pheromone-binding protein on the basis of a modest amino acid sequence identity, has been suggested to influence the ... | 2008 | 19018280 |
| extrafloral nectar content alters foraging preferences of a predatory ant. | we tested whether the carbohydrate and amino acid content of extrafloral nectar affected prey choice by a predatory ant. fire ants, solenopsis invicta, were provided with artificial nectar that varied in the presence of carbohydrates and amino acids and were then provided with two prey items that differed in nutritional content, female and male crickets. colonies of fire ants provided with carbohydrate supplements consumed less of the female crickets and frequently did not consume the high-lipid ... | 2010 | 19864270 |
| arginine kinase: differentiation of gene expression and protein activity in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | arginine kinase (ak), a primary enzyme in cell metabolism and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (atp)-consuming processes, plays an important role in cellular energy metabolism and maintaining constant atp levels in invertebrate cells. in order to identify genes that are differentially expressed between larvae and adults, queens and workers, and female alates (winged) and queens (wingless), ak cdna was obtained from the red imported fire ant. the cdna sequence of the gene has open reading frames of 1065 ... | 2009 | 19028554 |
| body size, but not cooling rate, affects supercooling points in the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | the level of an animal's stress resistance is set by multiple intrinsic physiological and extrinsic environmental parameters. body size is a critical intrinsic parameter that affects numerous fitness-related organismal traits including fecundity, survival, mating success, and stress resistance. the rate of cooling is a critical extrinsic environmental factor that can affect thermal stress resistance. workers of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), displa ... | 2008 | 19036184 |
| a new microsporidian species, vairimorpha ocinarae n. sp., isolated from ocinara lida moore (lepidoptera: bombycidae) in taiwan. | a new microsporidium was isolated from ocinara lida moore (lepidoptera: bombycidae), a pest of ficus microcarpa l. f. in taiwan. the microsporidium produces systemic infections in o. lida larvae; the midgut epithelium, malpighian tubules, and midgut muscle tissues were the target tissues for this isolate, and atrophied fat body tissues were found in heavily infected larvae. two types of spores were observed, diplokaroytic spores with 11-13 coils of polar tube, and monokaryotic spores with 12 coi ... | 2009 | 19056396 |
| experimental evidence that human impacts drive fire ant invasions and ecological change. | biological invasions are often closely associated with human impacts and it is difficult to determine whether either or both are responsible for the negative impacts on native communities. here, we show that human activity, not biological invasion, is the primary driver of negative effects on native communities and of the process of invasion itself. in a large-scale experiment, we combined additions of the exotic fire ant, solenopsis invicta, with 2 disturbance treatments, mowing and plowing, in ... | 2008 | 19064909 |
| repellency of an over-the-counter essential oil product in china against workers of red imported fire ants. | repellency of an over-the-counter essential oil product from china, and its major components against workers of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, was evaluated using an ant digging bioassay. three concentrations (1.0, 10.0, and 100.0 mg/kg in sand) of the product were tested. at 100.0 mg/kg, the digging suppress index (dsi) was 1.0 +/- 0.00 (mean +/- se) for all six test colonies, indicating this product produced a complete digging suppression; at 10 mg/kg, dsi was 0.22 +/- 0.089 ... | 2009 | 19123820 |
| genetic transformation of midgut bacteria from the red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta). | in our previous study we isolated 10 bacterial species from fourth-instar larval midguts of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. here we report the genetic transformation and reintroduction of three species (kluyvera cryocrescens, serratia marcescens, and isolate 38) into the fire ant host. all three species were transformed with the plasmid vector, pzeodsred. high expression levels of dsred were observed and the plasmid is maintained in these bacteria at 37 degrees c in the absence of ... | 2009 | 19159973 |
| taxonomic and biological characterization of steinernema rarum found in the southeastern united states. | two steinernema isolates found in louisiana and mississippi were later identified as isolates of s. rarum. dna sequences of its regions of the united states isolates are identical with sequences of argentinean s. rarum strains samiento and noetinger and differ by two bases from the arroyo cabral isolate from córdoba, argentina. sem observations revealed several new structures in the isolates from the us: female face views have a hexagonal-star perioral disc and eye-shaped lips; some females do n ... | 2006 | 19259427 |
| invasive fire ants alter behavior and morphology of native lizards. | nonnative species introductions are becoming more common, but long-term consequences of the novel pressures imposed by invaders on native species remain poorly known. the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, is an invasive species with potential global impact. comparison of lizards across the invasive range within the united states reveals novel antipredator strategies and altered morphologies that mitigate potentially lethal attack by these ants, within 70 years of their introduction. the ... | 2009 | 19294926 |
| piperideine alkaloids from the poison gland of the red imported fire ant (hymenoptera: formicidae). | the major chemical components in the venom of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, are 2-methyl-6-alkyl or alkenyl piperidines. after isolating the extracts of poison glands and whole worker bodies with column chromatography, we obtained fractions containing a mixture of six piperideine alkaloids. reduction of those samples using nabh(4) in ethanol generated piperidine alkaloids found in the fire ant poison gland, resulting in both the cis- and the trans-piperidine alkaloids. the ma ... | 2009 | 19326861 |
| isolation and characterization of solenopsis invicta virus 3, a new positive-strand rna virus infecting the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | we report the discovery of a new virus from the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta. solenopsis invicta virus 3 (sinv-3) represents the third virus discovered from this ant species using the metagenomics approach. the single (positive)-strand rna, monopartite, bicistronic genome of sinv-3 was sequenced in entirety (genbank accession number fj528584), comprised of 10,386 nucleotides, and polyadenylated at the 3' terminus. this genome size was confirmed by northern analysis. the genome revea ... | 2009 | 19403154 |
| the breeding system of the fire ant solenopsis invicta: effects on colony genetic structure. | genetic and observational data are combined to describe the breeding system in a polygyne population of solenopsis invicta using a formal theoretical framework that links properties of the breeding system with colony genetic structure. queens of s. invicta mate only once, and the study population is outbred. the number of mated queens per nest is variable but generally low, with the average relatedness of nest-mate queens indistinguishable from zero. the genetic data are sufficiently complete th ... | 1993 | 19425999 |
| plant resources and colony growth in an invasive ant: the importance of honeydew-producing hemiptera in carbohydrate transfer across trophic levels. | studies have suggested that plant-based nutritional resources are important in promoting high densities of omnivorous and invasive ants, but there have been no direct tests of the effects of these resources on colony productivity. we conducted an experiment designed to determine the relative importance of plants and honeydew-producing insects feeding on plants to the growth of colonies of the invasive ant solenopsis invicta (buren). we found that colonies of s. invicta grew substantially when th ... | 2008 | 18419921 |
| repellency of callicarpenal and intermedeol against workers of imported fire ants (hymenoptera: formicidae). | callicarpenal and intermedeol are two insect-repellent terpenoids isolated from leaves of american beautyberry (callicarpa americana l.; verbenaceae) and japanese beautyberry (callicarpa japonica thunb.). the repellency of these two terpenoids against workers of red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren, black imported fire ants, solenopsis richteri forel, and a hybrid of these two species was evaluated using digging bioassays. in a multiple choice digging bioassay using two colonies from ... | 2008 | 18459387 |
| multiplex detection of solenopsis invicta viruses -1, -2, and -3. | multiplex reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) methods were developed to detect solenopsis invicta viruses -1, -2, and -3 simultaneously in their host, the red imported fire ant, s. invicta. cdna synthesis was conducted in a single reaction containing an oligonucleotide primer specific for each virus. multiplex pcr was subsequently conducted with oligonucleotide primer pairs specific for each virus. the method was specific and sensitive, capable of detecting as few as 500 co ... | 2009 | 19646477 |
| re-investigation of venom chemistry of solenopsis fire ants. ii. identification of novel alkaloids in s. invicta. | the venom of the red imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta, is dominated by trans stereoisomers of 2,6-dialkylpiperidines. cis stereoisomers of alkaloids in the venom of s. invicta were separated from trans stereoisomers by using silica gel short column chromatography and identified by coupled gas chromatography mass spectrometry (gc-ms). seven pairs of cis and trans sterecoisomers were identified based on relative retention times and mass spectral data. the gc trace of the cis stereoisomers of ... | 2009 | 19673093 |
| application of ground penetrating radar in detecting the hazards and risks of termites and ants in soil levees. | a ground penetrating radar (gpr) technique was used to detect formosan subterranean termite (coptotermes formosanus) and red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) hazards and risks (targets) in a soil levee at the london avenue canal in new orleans, la. to make this assessment, gpr signal scans were examined for features produced by termite or ant activities and potential sources of food and shelter such as nests, tree roots, and voids (tunnels). the total scanned length of the soil levee was 4 ... | 2009 | 19689906 |
| sublethal effects of invasive fire ant venom on a native lizard. | invasive species can impose novel selection pressures on natives, such as toxins to which native taxa are not adapted. native species may survive such invasions by evolving mechanisms to avoid toxin exposure or increase toxin tolerance. red imported fire ants (solenopsis invicta) employ an alkaloid-based venom to defend their colonies and capture prey. in this study we aim to characterize the sublethal effects of invasive fire ant venom on a native vertebrate, the eastern fence lizard (sceloporu ... | 2010 | 19722273 |
| fatal anaphylaxis to indoor native fire ant stings in an infant. | the red (solenopsis invicta) and black (solenopsis richteri) imported fire ants (ifa) are a common cause of venom allergy in the southeastern united states. hypersensitivity to stings of native fire ants is less common, although anaphylaxis has been reported to various native solenopsis species. there have been numerous reports of indoor stings caused by ifa, including in nursing homes and private residences. the following is a report of fatal anaphylaxis to a native fire ant sting in an infant ... | 2008 | 19749619 |
| a potentially novel overlapping gene in the genomes of israeli acute paralysis virus and its relatives. | the israeli acute paralysis virus (iapv) is a honeybee-infecting virus that was found to be associated with colony collapse disorder. the iapv genome contains two genes encoding a structural and a nonstructural polyprotein. we applied a recently developed method for the estimation of selection in overlapping genes to detect purifying selection and, hence, functionality. we provide evolutionary evidence for the existence of a functional overlapping gene, which is translated in the +1 reading fram ... | 2009 | 19761605 |
| my journey to the ants. | in this paper, i review the strange, unplanned and unexpected journey i have had with solenopsis invicta, the imported fire ant. through serendipity, good fortune and repeated invenomation, i have come to count as collaborators a number of entomologists, toxicologists, allergists and immunologists who have guided me on this journey to the ants. we now understand the mechanisms for the cutaneous reactions experienced by 50% of the exposed population stung per year, as well as the immunologic and ... | 2009 | 19768165 |
| behavior and development of pseudacteon curvatus (diptera: phoridae) varies according to the social form of its host solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae) in its native range. | we assessed the performance of pseudacteon curvatus borgmeier with respect to the social form of solenopsis invicta buren in argentina in the field, we studied the effect the parasitoid on size and proportion of ant foragers. in the laboratory, we evaluated p. curvatus oviposition preferences; host size elected; developmental periods; and sexual size dimorphism, sex ratio, and parasitoid survivorship. p. curvatus affected the average size of foraging workers on both social forms diminishing the ... | 2009 | 19791615 |
| identification of bacterial species in the hemolymph of queen solenopsis invicta (hymenoptera: formicidae). | evidence that symbiotic microorganisms can impact the development and fitness of insects has been shown in many species. hemolymph-associated symbiotic bacteria have been identified in larvae of solenopsis invicta buren, the red imported fire ant; however, their association with adult red imported fire ants and the mode by which these organisms are transmitted from queens to offspring are not well known. in this study, bacillus spp. bacteria were routinely recovered in the hemolymph of queen s. ... | 2009 | 19825289 |
| analysis of chemical signals in red fire ants by gas chromatography and pattern recognition techniques. | gas chromatographic (gc) profiles of cuticular hydrocarbon extracts obtained from individual and pooled ant samples were analyzed using pattern recognition techniques. clustering according to the biological variables of social caste and colony were observed. pooling individual extracts enhanced the recognition of patterns in the gc profile data characteristic of colony. evidently, the contribution of the ant's individual pattern to the overall hydrocarbon profile pattern can obscure information ... | 2010 | 21215868 |
| current status of a model system: the gene gp-9 and its association with social organization in fire ants. | the gp-9 gene in fire ants represents an important model system for studying the evolution of social organization in insects as well as a rich source of information relevant to other major evolutionary topics. an important feature of this system is that polymorphism in social organization is completely associated with allelic variation at gp-9, such that single-queen colonies (monogyne form) include only inhabitants bearing b-like alleles while multiple-queen colonies (polygyne form) additionall ... | 2009 | 19893635 |
| complete genome sequence of an argentinean isolate of solenopsis invicta virus 3. | solenopsis invicta virus 3 (sinv-3) is a recently described positive-strand rna virus that infects the red imported fire ant, s. invicta. the genome of an argentinean isolate of solenopsis invicta virus 3 (sinv-3(argsf )) obtained from the santa fe region of argentina was sequenced in entirety. assembly of nine overlapping fragments yielded a consensus genome sequence 10,386 nucleotides long, excluding the poly(a) tail present on the 3' end (genbank accession number gu017972). with the exception ... | 2010 | 20033838 |
| [foraging intensity of ants in solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formiciddae) invaded and un-invaded habitats]. | by the methods of bait (honey, peanut oil, sausage, and mealworm larvae) trap, this paper studied the searching time, recruitment time, and recruitment number of ants in 3 typical habitats invaded and un-invaded by red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) in south china, and analyzed the effects of s. invicta invasion on the foraging intensity of native ants. in s. invicta invaded lawn, the searching time of ants for mealworm larvae and peanut oil was significantly shorter, compared with that ... | 2009 | 20077713 |
| interspecific variation of delta1,6-piperideines in imported fire ants. | delta(1,6)-piperideines have been recently reported in the venom of the red imported fire ants, solenopsis invicta buren and the black imported fire ants, solenopsis richteri forel. however, they have never been quantified in either species. furthermore, there is no information available about those piperideines in the hybrid imported fire ants (s. invicta x s. richteri). the abundance of six delta(1,6)-piperideines was investigated in both species and their hybrid using gas chromatography-mass ... | 2010 | 20093136 |
| isolation of a pyrazine alarm pheromone component from the fire ant, solenopsis invicta. | alarm pheromones in social insects are an essential part of a complex of pheromone interactions that contribute to the maintenance of colony integrity and sociality. the alarm pheromones of ants were among the first examples of animal pheromones identified, primarily because of the large amount of chemical produced and the distinctive responses of ants to the pheromone. however, the alarm pheromone of the fire ant, solenopsis invicta, eluded identification for over four decades. we identified 2- ... | 2010 | 20145982 |
| targeted removal of ant colonies in ecological experiments, using hot water. | ecological experiments on fire ants cannot, or should not, use poison baits to eliminate the fire ants because such baits are not specific to fire ants, or even to ants. hot water is an extremely effective and specific killing agent for fire ant colonies, but producing large amounts of hot water in the field, and making the production apparatus mobile have been problematical. the construction and use of a charcoal-fired kiln made from a 55-gal. oil drum lined with a sand-fireclay mixture is desc ... | 2007 | 20233079 |
| presence of the fire ant solenopsis invicta (westwood) (hymenoptera: formicidae) stimulates burrowing behavior by larvae of the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) (diptera: psychodidae). | the sandfly lutzomyia longipalpis (lutz & neiva) vectors leishmaniasis in the neotropics. although much is known about the biology of adult flies, little is known about interactions with its natural enemies. here, we examined behavior of larvae of l4 l.longipalpis on a soil substrate when exposed to the fire ant solenopsis invicata (westwood). when ants were absent, most larvae tended to remain at or close to the soil surface, but when ants were present the larvae burrowed into the soil. sandfli ... | 2010 | 20305911 |
| dynamic thermal structure of imported fire ant mounds. | a study was undertaken to characterize surface temperatures of mounds of imported fire ant, solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae) and s. richteri forel, and their hybrid, as it relates to sun position and shape of the mounds, to better understand factors that affect absorption of solar radiation by the nest mound and to test feasibility of using thermal infrared imagery to remotely sense mounds. mean mound surface temperature peaked shortly after solar noon and exceeded mean surface ... | 2008 | 20334599 |
| discovery and effects of texas solenopsis invicta virus [sinv-1 (tx5)] on red imported fire ant populations. | solenopsis invicta buren (hymenoptera: formicidae), the red imported fire ant is native to south america but has invaded areas of the southeastern us, and parts of southern california. the s. invicta virus-1 (sinv-1) is a positive sense, single-stranded rna picorna-like virus that only affects solenopsis species. the virus can infect all caste members and developmental stages. infection of sinv-1 can result in colony collapse in less than 3 months under laboratory conditions. this study screened ... | 2010 | 20350552 |