Effects of Fipronil on Non-target Ants and Other Invertebrates in a Program for Eradication of the Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile

Pesticides are frequently used to eradicate invasive ant species, but pose ecological harm. Previous studies assessed non-target effects only in terms of the increase or decrease of abundance or species richness after pesticide applications. Positive effects of the release from pressure caused by invasive ant species have not been considered so far. To more accurately assess pesticide effects in the field, the non-target effects of pesticides should be considered separately from the positive effects of such releases. Here, we used monitoring data of ants and other invertebrates collected in a program for the eradication of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), using fipronil. First, we separately assessed the effects of L. humile abundance and fipronil exposure on non-target ants and other invertebrates using generalized linear models. The abundance of L. humile and the number of pesticide treatments were negatively associated with the total number of non-target individuals and taxonomic richness. We also noted negative relationships between the number of individuals of some ant species and other invertebrate taxonomic groups. The L. humile × pesticide interaction was significant, suggesting that the abundance of L. humile affected the level of impact of pesticide treatment on non-target fauna. Second, we evaluated the dynamics of non-target ant communities for 3 years using principal response curve analyses. Non-target ant communities treated with fipronil continuously for 3 years recovered little, whereas those treated for 1 year recovered to the level of the untreated and non-invaded environment.

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Update on the invasion status of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868), in Madrid, a large city in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula

Journal of Hymenoptera Research ◽

10.3897/jhr.85.65725 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 85 ◽

pp. 161-177

Author(s):

Diego López-Collar ◽

Francisco J. Cabrero-Sañudo

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Necessary Conditions ◽

Large City ◽

Linepithema Humile ◽

Argentine Ant ◽

Invasive Ant ◽

Personal Communications ◽

Great Capacity ◽

Green Areas ◽

The City

New geolocated records of the invasive ant Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868) are added to the previous references for the city of Madrid and its surroundings, and the possible causes of the occurrence and permanence of this species in urban areas are discussed. The data collection corresponds to a series of samplings carried out for the last three years in green areas of the city, bibliographic searches, citizen science platforms and personal communications. To date, eleven locations in the urban area of Madrid and four points outside the city have been registered. The city of Madrid is undergoing a colonisation by the Argentine ant, although it is not widespread yet, since observations over time and space are isolated and apparently unrelated. However, this species has a great capacity to disperse and establish new colonies, mainly human-mediated through the transport of goods, plants, gardening tools, etc. Considering the numerous colonizable urban green areas in the city that can provide the necessary conditions for its expansion, the Argentine ant should not be underestimated, and immediate action is strongly recommended.

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The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile , in Japan: Assessment of impact on species diversity of ant communities in urban environments

Entomological Science ◽

10.1046/j.1343-8786.2003.00008.x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 57-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Yoshifumi TOUYAMA ◽

Kazuo OGATA ◽

Takashi SUGIYAMA

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Linepithema Humile ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Argentine Ant ◽

Ant Communities

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The widespread collapse of an invasive species: Argentine ants ( Linepithema humile ) in New Zealand

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2011.1014 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 430-433 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Meghan Cooling ◽

Stephen Hartley ◽

Dalice A. Sim ◽

Philip J. Lester

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Invasive Species ◽

New Zealand ◽

Argentine Ant ◽

Environmental Costs ◽

Argentine Ants ◽

Ant Communities ◽

Mean Survival Time ◽

Colony Collapse ◽

Increasing Temperature

Synergies between invasive species and climate change are widely considered to be a major biodiversity threat. However, invasive species are also hypothesized to be susceptible to population collapse, as we demonstrate for a globally important invasive species in New Zealand. We observed Argentine ant populations to have collapsed in 40 per cent of surveyed sites. Populations had a mean survival time of 14.1 years (95% CI = 12.9–15.3 years). Resident ant communities had recovered or partly recovered after their collapse. Our models suggest that climate change will delay colony collapse, as increasing temperature and decreasing rainfall significantly increased their longevity, but only by a few years. Economic and environmental costs of invasive species may be small if populations collapse on their own accord.

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