Effect of soil treatments for cottony cushion scale (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) control on Nylanderia fulva (Hymenoptera: Formidicae) survival and trailing activity

Authors

  • Shweta Sharma University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA;
  • Eileen A. Buss University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA;
  • Gregory S. Hodges Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, 1911 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, USA;
  • David H. Oi USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA;

Keywords:

tawny crazy ant, Paratrechina pubens, Nylanderia pubens, Caribbean crazy ant, Rasberry [sic] crazy ant, invasive ants, integrated pest management

Abstract

 

Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), or tawny crazy ant, is an invasive ant from South America that is spreading in the southern US. Extremely large populations of this ant can inundate urban and natural landscapes, and efficient control methods are lacking. This study was conducted to determine if activity of N. fulva would decline after controlling the hemipteran honeydew-producers they were tending. Potted plants infested with cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi Maskell) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) were treated with 2 imidacloprid insecticide formulations, and changes in N. fulva survival and foraging behavior were monitored. There were fewer ant trails, lower trailing intensity, less foraging, and less nesting in potted plants treated with either product than in the control pots. The use of low application rates of systemic insecticide to reduce honeydew producing hemipterans, such as cottony cushion scale, could be an important component of the integrated pest management of N. fulva.

 

 

 

 

 

Resumen

 

Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), o hormiga loca leonado, es una hormiga invasora de América del Sur que se está disperando en el sur de los EE. UU. Las poblaciones extremadamente grandes de esta hormiga pueden inundar las zonas urbanas y naturales, y faltan métodos eficientes para controlarlas. Se realizó este estudio para determinar si la actividad de N. fulva disminuiría después de controlar a los productores hemípteros de mielcilla que las hormigas atienden. Se trataron plantas en maceta infestadas con la cochinilla acanalada (Icerya purchasi Maskell) (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) con 2 formulaciones de insecticidas de imidacloprid y se monitorearon los cambios sobre la sobrevivencia de N. fulva y su comportamiento de forrajeo. Hubo menos rastros de hormigas, menor intensidad de arrastre, menos forrajeo y menos nidos en plantas en macetas tratadas con cualquiera de los productos que en las macetas de control. El uso de tasas bajas de aplicación de insecticida sistémico para reducir los hemipteros que producen la mielcilla, como la cochinilla acanalada, podría ser un componente importante del manejo integrado de plagas de N. fulva.

 

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Author Biographies

Shweta Sharma, University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA;

Entomology & Nematology Department

Eileen A. Buss, University of Florida, Entomology & Nematology Department, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA;

Entomology & Nematology Department

Gregory S. Hodges, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, 1911 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, USA;

Division of Plant Industry

David H. Oi, USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural, & Veterinary Entomology, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA;

Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology

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Published

2019-04-27

Issue

Vol 102, No. 1 (March 2019)

Section

Research Papers

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