Grant Information
| Knowledge Area | Subject of Investigation | Field of Science | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 1610 - Pasture | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 3310 - Beef cattle, live animal | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 3410 - Dairy cattle, live animal | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 6099 - People and communities, general/other | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 850 - Wildlife habitats | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
Despite the effort in developing alternative control technologies, management of fire ants and mosquitoes has continued to have challenges associated with effectiveness, application strategy, and cost. New environmentally friendly biopesticides would make product handling easier, improve public acceptance, and potentially provide more effective control. For fire ants, we will search new toxins from defensive chemicals produced by other ants and develop double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) toxins. New toxins will be used in bait, mound drench and immersion treatment. Floodwater mosquitoes have evolved a reproductive strategy in which females deposit their eggs in damp soil of flood prone areas. The temporary separation of eggs from water may provide an opportunity to control eggs without applying control agents directly into the water, thereby reducing their impact on non-target aquatic organisms. An effective ovicide would also make it possible to treat floodwater mosquitoes over a longer period of time before emergence, greatly improving the practicality of community based control programs. Our research on mosquitoes focus on discovering biopesticides with ovicidal activity by studying key physiological processes in the embryonating and embryonated eggs and on identifying new naturally occurring substances and pathogenic microorganisms which can disrupt those processes. A correct formulation will greatly enhance the penetration of biopesticides into insect eggs. By selecting the right adjuvant group and optimizing hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) numbers, the improved biological formulation should be able to attack the eggs of the targeted mosquitoes.
This serves as the final report for Project Number 6066-22320-008-00D. This project has been replaced by Project Number 6066-22320-009-00D. A patent application was filed for two fire ant mound treatment formulations. The active ingredient of these two formulations is a defensive compound from tawny crazy ant, another significant invasive ant species. Under a Material Transfer Agreement, ARS provided samples of these two formulations to a pest control product manufacturer for testing on other ants and pest insects. They were found to be effective against some other pest ants. One formulation was found to be an effective tick repellant. Esterases have been shown to play a crucial role in the tolerance of insects to toxic compounds. Esterase activities were measured for workers and male and female alates of both red and black imported fire ants. Esterase activities in red imported fire ants were always significantly higher than those in the black imported fire ants. The high activity of esterase activity may be among the reasons why the red imported fire ant is much more successful than the black imported fire ants. Defensive chemistry of little black ants was investigated. Saturated and unsaturated fatty amines were identified in the little black ants. It was the first time to find these fatty amines as naturally occurring compounds. Two fatty amines were found to be toxic to fire ants and one has a quick knockdown effect. The antimicrobial property of volatiles produced by red imported fire ants against a common entomopathogenic fungus was demonstrated. The germination rate of fungal spores was significantly reduced after they were exposed to volatiles from fire ant workers. Nest fumigation may be an important component of the social immune system in red imported fire ants. This information is important in developing biological control technologies for fire ant management, since successful biological control agents must be capable of overcoming the toxicity of fire ant nest volatiles. The effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, on the red imported fire ants was investigated at low doses. Although imidacloprid did not increase the mortality of queens, it significantly affected their brood tending behavior and the development of the incipient colonies. Imidacloprid at low doses also affect fire ant feeding and digging behaviors. This research may aid in the development of more effective utilization of neonicotinoid insecticides in the management of fire ant. The results can also serve as warning for the potential detrimental impacts of neonicotinoid insecticide residuals on beneficial ant species. A Confidentiality Agreement was established between ARS and a major bait carrier manufacturer in the United States. ARS provided information to that company about a water resistant ant bait carrier, including its water resistance properties, oil holding capacity, storage stability and acceptance by ants. Efficacy data of fire ant bait formulated using this new carrier and indoxaacarb as active ingredient are also included. An Invention disclosure was submitted.