A Device and a Protocol for Collecting Brood of the Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Field

Authors

  • Jihuan Zheng Guangdong Entomological Institute and Guangdong Provincial Public Laboratory on Wild Animal Conservation and Management, Guangzhou 510260
  • Yangyang Guo Guangdong Entomological Institute and Guangdong Provincial Public Laboratory on Wild Animal Conservation and Management, Guangzhou 510260 South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650
  • Runqian Mao Guangdong Entomological Institute and Guangdong Provincial Public Laboratory on Wild Animal Conservation and Management, Guangzhou 510260
  • Yingfang Xiao Mid-Florida REC, University of Florida, Apopka, FL, 32703
  • Mingdu Huang Guangdong Entomological Institute and Guangdong Provincial Public Laboratory on Wild Animal Conservation and Management, Guangzhou 510260

Keywords:

innate brood rescue behavior, Solenopsis invicta, negative phototaxis

Abstract

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is an invasive ant of serious public health significance. In this study, a device and a protocol were developed for collecting brood of the red imported fire ant in the field. Field trials showed that within 30 min about 700 larvae and pupae plus about one half this number of workers were collected per device. This collection procedure takes advantage of the innate brood rescue behavior of alarmed workers, which involves strong negative phototaxis. This brood collection device is not useful for collecting queens, but it provides a practical means to separate the brood from the mound soil.

 

La hormiga de fuego roja importada, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), es una hormiga invasora de suma importancia para la salud pública. En este estudio, un instrumento y un protocolo fueron desarrollados para recolectar la cría de la hormiga de fuego roja importada en el campo. Los ensayos de campo mostraron que dentro de 30 minutos, en cada dispositivo se colectaron alrededor de 700 larvas y pupas, además de aproximadamente la mitad de este número de trabajadores. Este procedimiento para recolectar se aprovecha del comportamiento innato de los trabajadores alarmados para rescatar la cría, que implica un fuerte fototaxis negativo. Este instrumento de recolectar la cría no es útil para recoger las reinas, pero provee un medio práctico para separar la cría de los montículos del suelo.

 

View this article in BioOne

Downloads

Published

2014-02-23

Issue

Vol. 96, No. 4 (December 2013)

Section

Research Papers

License

Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.