Effect of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on flower-visiting behavior of insects on Brassica napus (Brassicales: Brassicaceae)
Keywords:
biological invasion, species abundance, GC-EADAbstract
This study used field trials to investigate how the fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) affects the flower-visiting behavior of insects on rapeseed Brassica napus L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae). Chemicals from fire ants were identified, and their electrophysiological effects on the cabbage white butterfly Pieris rapae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) were analyzed by gas chromatography–electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) bioassays. The results showed that S. invicta significantly reduced the abundance of pollinators. The number of striped flea beetles (Phyllotreta striolata [F.]; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and hover flies (Eristalinus quinquestriatus [F.] and E. quinquelineatus [F.]; Diptera: Syrphidae) in fire ant–included and fire-ant-and-aphid-included plots was 43.5 and 39.4% lower, respectively, than in control plots. The visiting duration at a single flower for P. rapae in the plots that had fire ants and aphids excluded was significantly longer than in the fire ant–included (1.42 fold) and fire-ant-and-aphid-included plots (1.29 fold). However, the visiting frequency of P. rapae and of the Chinese honey bee Apis cerana F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the duration of each visit of A. cerana were not significantly changed. Antennae of P. rapae showed obvious electrophysiological reactions to the volatiles of S. invicta, and n-heptacosane elicited the largest EAD response. Our results suggest a negative effect and its chemical mechanism of S. invicta on the behavior of several flower-visiting insects.
Resumen
Este estudio utilizó pruebas de campo para investigar cómo la hormiga de fuego Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) afecta el comportamiento de de insectos que visitan flores de colza, Brassica napus L. (Brassicales: Brassicaceae). Se identificaron los productos químicos de las hormigas de fuego, y sus efectos electrofisiológicos sobre la mariposa blanca de repollo Pieris rapae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) que fueron analizados por medio de bioensayos con cromatografía de gases-detección electroantenograma (CG-DEA). Los resultados mostraron que S. invicta redujo significativamente la abundancia de polinizadores. El número de escarabajos pulga rayado (Phyllotreta striolata [F.]; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) y moscas cernícolas (Eristalinus quinquestriatus [F.] y E. quinquelineatus [F.]; Diptera: Syrphidae) en parcelas con la hormiga de fuego incluida y las de hormigas y áfidos incluidos fue del 43,5 y el 39,4% menor, respectivamente, que en las parcelas de control. La duración de cada visita a una sola flor para P. rapae en las parcelas que tenian los áfidos y hormigas de fuego excluidos fue significativamente más largo que a las flores con la hormiga de fuego incluida (1,42 veces) y en parcelas que tenian los áfidos y hormigas de fuego (1,29 veces). Sin embargo, la frecuencia de visita por P. rapae y de la abeja de la miel china Apis cerana F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) y la duración de cada visita de A. cerana no cambiaron significativamente. Las antenas de P. rapae mostró reacciones electrofisiológicas obvias a los volátiles de S. invicta, y el n-heptacosano provocó la mayor respuesta DEA. Nuestros resultados sugieren un efecto negativo y su mecanismo químico de S. invicta sobre el comportamiento de varios insectos que visitan las flores.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
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.
