Identification of Key Genes for the Precise Classification between Solenopsis invicta and S. geminata Facilitating the Quarantine Process

One of the 100 worst invasive exotic species, Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant), has the possibility to induce an allergic reaction that may eventually cause death from its aggressive stinging. In 2017, S. invicta was found at a container yard in Gamman Port, Busan, South Korea for the first time. It may result in an infestation of fire ants in the Korean environment. After this incident, sensitive quarantine procedures are required to detect possible contamination of fire ants in imported containers. However, currently, fire ant identification relies on phenotypic characteristics. This requires highly trained experts for identification and there are not enough to cover all imported containers. Here, we develop a key molecular marker to distinguish S. invicta from others using the whole genome sequence (WGS) of collected S. invicta from Gamman Port and NCBI-deposited WGS data of S.invicta and S. geminata. The consolidated genotypes of Solenopsis genus successfully indicate the distinguishable gene. The gel-based experimental validation confirmed expected classification and the developed cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) marker also gave a consistent result. Using the CAPS marker derived from our consolidated genotypes, the samples collected from containers in several ports can be easily tested by PCR in a few hours. The quick and easy test would increase not only the labor efficiency but also the environmental safety from fire ants.

Download Full-text

Distinct colony boundaries and larval discrimination in polygyne red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta)

10.22541/au.163251827.70085127/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

MacKenzie Kjeldgaard ◽

Pierre-André Eyer ◽

Collin McMichael ◽

Alison Bockoven ◽

Joanie King ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Sucrose Solution ◽

Ecological Impact ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Invasive Ant ◽

Nestmate Discrimination ◽

Social Forms

Evaluating the factors that promote invasive ant abundance is critical to assess their ecological impact and inform their management. Many invasive ant species show reduced nestmate recognition and an absence of boundaries between unrelated nests, which allow populations to achieve greater densities due to reduced intraspecific competition. We examined nestmate discrimination and colony boundaries in introduced populations of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta; hereafter, fire ant). Fire ants occur in two social forms: monogyne (colonies with a single egg-laying queen) and polygyne (colonies with multiple egg-laying queens). In contrast with monogyne nests, polygyne nests are thought to be interconnected due to the reduced antagonism between non-nestmate polygyne workers, perhaps because polygyne workers habituate the colony to an odor unique to Gp-9-carrying adults. However, colony boundaries and nestmate discrimination are poorly documented, particularly for worker-brood interactions. To delimit boundaries between field colonies, we correlated the exchange of a N-glycine tracer dissolved in a sucrose solution with social form. We also evaluated nestmate discrimination between polygyne workers and larvae in the laboratory. Counter to our expectations, polygyne colonies behaved identically to monogyne colonies, suggesting both social forms maintain strict colony boundaries. Polygyne workers also preferentially fed larval nestmates and may have selectively cannibalized non-nestmates. The levels of relatedness among workers in polygyne colonies was higher than those previously reported in North America (mean ±SE: 0.269 ± 0.037). Our study highlights the importance of combining genetic analyses with direct quantification of resource exchange to better understand the factors influencing ant invasions.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text

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%.

Download Full-text

Microcapsuled entomopathogenic fungus against fire ants

10.1101/505370 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Hua-Long Qiu ◽

Eduardo G P Fox ◽

Dan-Yang Zhao ◽

Jin-Zhu Xu ◽

Chang-Sheng Qin

Keyword(s):

Metarhizium Anisopliae ◽

Entomopathogenic Fungus ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Gum Arabic ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Wall Material ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Imported Fire Ant ◽

Microencapsulation Method

AbstractA new microencapsulation method of Metarhizium anisopliae based on gelatin (GE) and gum arabic (GA) is presented. Conditions to produce spheres 35-50 μm relied on 1% wall material, GE:GA ratio 1:1–1:2, core:wall ratio 1:1, under pH 4.0, 35-50°C and 500-700 r/min agitation. Microcapsulation provided protection against UV and longer shelf life as compared to unencapsulated conidia. The obtained preparation proved active against the red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta.

Download Full-text

Incipient colony growth in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)

10.1603/ice.2016.114892 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Hester L Dingle

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Incipient Colony ◽

Imported Fire Ant

Download Full-text

Acute toxicity of typical ant control agents to the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Applied Entomology and Zoology ◽

10.1007/s13355-021-00728-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 217-224

Author(s):

Hironori Sakamoto ◽

Koichi Goka

Keyword(s):

Acute Toxicity ◽

Chemical Control ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

The Pacific ◽

New Type ◽

Ant Control ◽

Abnormal Behaviors ◽

Imported Fire Ant

AbstractThe red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is a serious invasive alien ant around the world and has expanded its invasive range to the Pacific Rim since the early 2000s. It was first reported in Japan in 2017, and its entry through cargo has been reported numerous times in many ports. Colonies have been found in Tokyo Port since 2019, and now it is an urgent issue to prevent further invasion and establishment. Chemical control is the best tested method of insect control, but we have little information on the efficacy of insecticides against S. invicta in Japan. Here, we conducted acute toxicity assays of six quick-acting pyrethroids (transfluthrin, prallethrin, phenothrin, permethrin, metofluthrin, and pyrethrin) for killing adults and five new-type insecticides (fipronil, thiamethoxam, indoxacarb, imidacloprid, and hydramethylnon) for controlling colonies with toxic baits. We found that the LD50 from six pyrethroids were comparable to each other. The ED50 causing abnormal behaviors were smaller than LD50, but some ants recovered from paralysis within 12 h. Fipronil showed the lowest LD50 suggesting this chemical is the most promising agent for controlling S. invicta. Our results promise to develop a method for the chemical control of S. invicta.

Download Full-text

Comparison of gene expression in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) under different temperature conditions

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95779-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Vatanparast ◽

Robert T. Puckett ◽

Deuk-Soo Choi ◽

Youngjin Park

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Gene Ontology ◽

High Temperature ◽

Temperature Stress ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Molecular Response ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Imported Fire Ant

AbstractThe red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren is native to South America and is known as a global problematic invasive species. This study focused on the molecular response of RIFA by comparing gene expression profiles after exposing ants to low (10 °C) and high (40 °C) temperature stress and comparing them to untreated controls (30 °C). A total of 99,085 unigenes (the clustered non-redundant transcripts that are filtered from the longest assembled contigs) were obtained, of which 19,154 were annotated with gene descriptions, gene ontology terms, and metabolic pathways. 86 gene ontology (GO) functional sub-groups and 23 EggNOG terms resulted. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with log2FC ≥ 10 were screened and were compared at different temperatures. We found 203, 48, and 66 specific DEGs co-regulated at 10, 20, and 40 °C. Comparing transcriptome profiles for differential gene expression resulted in various DE genes, including cytochrome P450, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, cuticle protein and heat shock protein (HSP), which have previously been reported to be involved in cold and high temperature resistance. GO analysis revealed that antioxidant activity is up-regulated under high temperature stress. We verified the RNA-seq data by qPCR on 20 up- and down-regulated DEGs. These findings provide a basis for future understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of RIFA and the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to low and high temperatures.

Download Full-text