Statewide Survey of Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Populations in Tennessee

Imported fire ants (Solenopsis spp.; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) occupy 54 counties (~5.4 million ha) in Tennessee. To better understand the fire ant species distribution in Tennessee, the state was divided into 16.1 × 16.1 km grids, and a single colony was sampled for cuticular hydrocarbon and venom alkaloid analyses within each grid. A total of 387 samples was processed from which 9 (2.3%), 167 (43.2%), and 211 (54.5%) were identified as red (Solenopsis invicta Buren), black (Solenopsis richteri Forel), or hybrid (S. invicta × S. richteri) imported fire ants, respectively. The S. invicta was only found near metropolitan Nashville in Davidson and Williamson counties and at one site in Decatur Co. All samples east of Franklin Co. were identified as hybrids. Tennessee counties west of Lincoln were predominantly S. richteri (86.5%) as opposed to hybrid (13.0%) and S. invicta (0.5%). The exception was Hardin Co., which was predominantly hybrid. Counties containing both hybrid and S. richteri (all in the middle and western part of the state) included Bedford, Decatur, Franklin, Giles, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Perry, and Wayne. The S. invicta samples collected from one Williamson Co. site were determined to be polygyne and infected with the Solenopsis invicta virus (genotype SINV-1 A). This was the first detection of polygyne imported fire ant in Tennessee. The SINV-1 A virus was also a new find at the time of detection, but has been previously reported. The survey results are being used to direct current and future biological control efforts against imported fire ants in Tennessee.

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Effects of Repeated Use of Fenoxycarb and Hydramethylnon Baits on Nontarget Ants

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-33.2.212 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 212-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. A. Zakharov ◽

L. C. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Integrated Management ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Solenopsis Invicta Buren ◽

Repeated Use ◽

Imported Fire Ants ◽

Ant Diversity ◽

Imported Fire Ant

Sites receiving repeated broadcast applications of fenoxycarb and hydramethylnon baits for red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, control were examined for impact of bait treatments on ant diversity in southeastern Arkansas. Ants collected from sugar baits belonged to three subfamilies and 25 species. As compared with checks, native ant species increased on fenoxycarb-treated plots and decreased on hydramethylnon-treated plots. Except for S. invicta, ants within the subfamily Myrmicinae practically disappeared from hydramethylnon-treated plots. Sensitivity of ants in the subfamilies Formicinae and Dolichoderinae to hydramethylnon and fenoxycarb was comparatively low. As a consequence, fenoxycarb shows promise for the integrated management of imported fire ants when broadcast applications are desirable.

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DISCOVERY OF HYBRID FIRE ANT POPULATIONS IN GEORGIA AND ALABAMA

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-23.2.187 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 187-191 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Stan Diffie ◽

Robert K. Vander Meer ◽

Max H. Bass

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Cuticular Hydrocarbon ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Gas Chromatograph ◽

Recent Movement ◽

Solenopsis Richteri ◽

Solenopsis Invicta Buren

The recent movement of fire ants into previously non-infested northwest Georgia counties led to an investigation of their identity. Gas chromatograph traces of the cuticular hydrocarbon patterns of these ants showed them to be hybrids of Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis richteri Forel. This study extends the known range of the hybrid to ten Georgia counties, twenty-one Alabama counties, and five Mississippi counties.

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Near Fatal Fire Ant Envenomation of a Newborn

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.90.4.622 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 90 (4) ◽

pp. 622-624

Author(s):

WILLUAM E. HARDWICK ◽

JAMES A. ROYALL ◽

BRUCE A. PETITT ◽

SAMUEL J. TILDEN

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Port City ◽

Southern States ◽

South Central ◽

Solenopsis Richteri ◽

Central United States ◽

Imported Fire Ants ◽

Venom Hypersensitivity

Imported fire ants, Solenopsis richteri and Solenopsis invicta, are menacing health hazards for the 20 to 30 million people who live in the fire ant-infested regions of the southeastern and south central United States. In the early 1900s, fire ants were brought into the port city of Mobile, Alabama, on vegetation and produce from South America. Their aggressive behavior compared to native ants and the favorable climate throughout the southeast allowed extensive spread. In 1985 it was estimated that fire ants infested approximately 250 million acres in eleven southern states and Puerto Rico.1 In infested areas fire ants account for 90% of all ant populations and stings from fire ants are more frequent than stings from other hymenoptera, becoming the most common cause of insect venom hypersensitivity.

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Naturally Occurring Compounds/Materials as Alternatives to Synthetic Chemical Insecticides for Use in Fire Ant Management

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11110758 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 758

Author(s):

Jian Chen ◽

David H. Oi

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Natural Toxins ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Solenopsis Invicta Buren ◽

In Fire ◽

Imported Fire Ant ◽

Made In

The invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (hereafter, fire ants), is a significant threat to public health and a danger to livestock, pets and wildlife due to their venomous stings. The fire ant has invaded many countries and regions and has become a globally significant pest. The current major tool to manage fire ants are synthetic insecticides that are used largely as stomach poisons in bait products or contact insecticides in spray, broadcast, drench, and dust products for area and nest treatments. In addition to these insecticide products, repellants and fumigants can also be useful in some unique scenarios. The ever-increasing public concern about the potential adverse effects of synthetic insecticides on health and the environment has been a driving force for searching for safer alternatives to control fire ants. Tremendous effort has been made in developing biologically-based control for managing fire ants; however, natural products continue to be one of the most attractive sources of safe alternatives to synthetic insecticides. Here, we summarized the synthetic insecticides that are currently used in managing fire ants, available alternative products in the current market, and academic efforts in searching for fire ant natural toxins, repellants and fumigants.

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Red Imported Fire Ants and Their Impacts on Wildlife

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-uw242-2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 2006 (8) ◽

Author(s):

Emma Willcox ◽

William M. Giuliano

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Solenopsis Geminata ◽

Wildlife Ecology ◽

Imported Fire Ants ◽

Red Imported Fire Ants ◽

Imported Fire Ant

Two species of fire ant are found in Florida, the notorious red imported fire ant (RIFA; Solenopsis invicta; Figure 1) and the less common native fire ant (Solenopsis geminata). This document is WEC 207 and one of a series of the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, UF/IFAS Extension. First published: April 2006.

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SUPERCOOLING STUDIES ON THE IMPORTED FIRE ANTS: SOLENOPSIS INVICTA AND SOLENOPSIS RICHTERI (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) AND THEIR HYBRID

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-24.3.361 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 361-364 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stan K. Diffie ◽

D. Craig Sheppard

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Parental Species ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Cold Temperatures ◽

Northern Latitude ◽

Solenopsis Richteri ◽

Lower Temperature ◽

Imported Fire Ants

The discovery of hybrid fire ants, Solenopsis invicta × S. richteri, in northwest Georgia at a more northern latitude than S. invicta led to an investigation into the hybrid's ability to withstand cold temperatures. This study was undertaken to determine if the hybrid would supercool at a lower temperature than either parental species. Major workers, male alates, and female alates of the three ant types were collected, and supercooling points were determined. Of the three castes tested, only male alates of the hybrid and S. richteri had lower supercooling points than did S. invicta. The inhabitance of north Georgia by the hybrid fire ant and not S. invicta does not seem to be determined by supercooling.

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Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Control in Nursery Pots Treated with Beauveria bassiana and Bifenthrin

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-39.2.175 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 175-187

Author(s):

Mark A. Brinkman ◽

Wayne A. Gardner

Keyword(s):

Beauveria Bassiana ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Test Period ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Potting Medium ◽

Solenopsis Invicta Buren ◽

Imported Fire Ant ◽

Better Than

Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin GHA strain was tested alone and in combination with different rates of bifenthrin for control of red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in potted nursery medium. The fungus killed fire ant workers in the potting medium, but was not effective at eliminating infestations in all containers. Bifenthrin at a rate of 1.18 kg Talstar™ (nursery granular, 0.2% Al) per m3 soil alone performed better than B. bassiana alone; however, bifenthrin was also inconsistent in eliminating fire ants from all pots over the 4 yrs of the study. When B. bassiana was combined with reduced rates (1/4 and 1/2) of bifenthrin in 2001, infestations were eliminated from treated pots within 96 h each time workers were added to the pots for the 7-wk test period. The number of infested bifenthrin + B. bassiana-treated pots was significantly lower than the number of infested untreated pots on all 19 sampling dates in 2001. Use of bifenthrin + B. bassiana was as effective or more effective than use of bifenthrin alone and could save growers as much as 15 to 40%.

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